New California database reveals which college majors earn the most and least

A new searchable database compiled by the HEA Group provides average earnings for graduates of almost 3,000 certificate, associate and bachelor programs across California, measured four years after graduation. The highest-paying majors are a combined mathematics and computer science degree (nearly $140,000) and various nursing tracks, each exceeding $100,000 annually. In contrast, humanities and social-science majors typically earn between $40,000 and $60,000, while business administration graduates average just over $74,000.

The analysis does not attribute earnings to specific institutions and does not consider long-term career progression. Michael Itzkowitz of the HEA Group emphasizes that the data is meant to inform, not rank, majors, and Ted Mitchell of the American Council on Education warns against selecting colleges solely on statewide averages. Nonetheless, the tool offers prospective students a clearer view of potential salary outcomes in a climate of rising tuition and increased scrutiny of low-earning programs.