Which US college majors yield the best and worst return on investment?

An Investopedia analysis reveals that computer science yields the highest return on investment in the US at 3,143 percent, while theology and religious studies is the lowest-yielding field at 933 percent.

Scraper SystemJuly 07, 2026, 07:22 PM

Which US college majors yield the best and worst return on investment?

Rising college costs in the US are forcing students and families to consider which undergraduate major offers a better financial future. An Investopedia study evaluated 68 different undergraduate programs based on 10-year post-graduation earnings and debt balance, and published a ranking.

According to the analysis, while all majors show a positive return on investment (ROI), there is a large gap between the best and worst performing fields. Computer science tops the list with a 3,143 percent ROI, while theology and religious studies comes in last at 933 percent.

How was it calculated?

Investopedia used data from the Education Data Initiative and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to compare median student debt and early career salaries for each major. Based on this, median student debt was over $24,700, and the median early career salary was about $52,000 per year.

Graduates of theology and religious studies, which has the lowest return, borrow an average of $34,800 while earning only $41,600 per year. In contrast, computer science students borrow $1,600 less than the median and earn about $35,000 more per year.

The five highest and lowest return majors

In the ranking of highest return on investment, computer science was followed by computer engineering (3,009 percent), chemical engineering (2,864 percent), economics (2,789 percent), and industrial engineering (2,754 percent).

On the list of lowest returns, theology and religious studies was followed by social work (1,158 percent), pharmacy (1,191 percent), general education (1,235 percent), and performing arts (1,281 percent).

Unemployment rates paint a different picture

A high return on investment does not always mean a low unemployment rate. For example, the unemployment rate in computer science is 7 percent, while in theology and religious studies it is 3.1 percent. The lowest unemployment rate was seen in special education at 0.7 percent.

Experts note that artificial intelligence taking over entry-level jobs and employers' reluctance to hire new graduates for remote work have increased graduate unemployment in recent years. The unemployment rate for new graduates, which was 4.4 percent in January 2024, rose to 5.6 percent in March 2026.

Which US college majors yield the best and worst return on investment?