Students choose higher education for many reasons including expanding career prospects, skills and increasing earning potential. So it is unsurprising that college graduates who hold a bachelor’s degree earn on average 66% more per week ($1,493) than people holding just high school diplomas ($899).

It is no secret that your earning potential differs based on your educational choices, so with this in mind, the education experts at Legacy Online School analyzed graduate outcome data to determine the states with the highest-earning graduates and the most lucrative degree subjects.

Key insights:

• New Jersey has the highest-earning graduates earning $80,114 per annum
• Mississippi has the lowest-paid graduates ($52,266)
• Massachusetts is the most educated state (46.1%)
• Computer & information science graduates earn the most at $91,411 per year
• The lowest-paid subject is theology ($38,710)

The states with the highest-earning college graduatesRankStateResidents with a bachelor's degree or higher
(Age 18+)Residents with bachelor's degrees or higher that are employed
(not in further education or seeking employment)Median earnings 1 year after graduation
(bachelor's degree)1New Jersey42.5%77.5%$80,1142Massachusetts46.1%77.7%$79,9853Washington39.0%72.6%$78,4854California36.0%74.5%$78,2785Maryland42.1%76.6%$76,7486Connecticut41.5%75.9%$75,9757New York39.4%76.3%$74,5048Virginia40.8%75.4%$74,4689Colorado44.5%75.0%$73,07210New Hampshire39.3%73.2%$71,325
Full dataset available here

The education experts at Legacy Online School can reveal that New Jersey graduates earn the most at around $80,114 a year after graduation, higher than the average state salary which sat at $73,980 in 2023. The state has the third-highest percentage of graduates currently employed with more than three-quarters (77.49%) and the third-highest percentage of degree-holding residents at 42.46%.

Massachusettsans with bachelor's degrees earn the second most in the US with $79,985 per annum, $129 behind first place. However, unlike New Jersey, graduate earnings in the state are slightly lower than the state average earnings of $80,330. 

Nevertheless, Massachusetts is the most educated state with 46.1% holding bachelor's degrees or higher and the joint highest percentage of employed graduates (77.7%). The state is home to the Ivy League’s Harvard University and the elite Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) so it is no shock that the education rate is so high. 

Washington sits in third place with an average salary of $78,485 just over the state average earnings ($78,130). Although Washington State has no Ivy League schools, the state boasts great potential for students with the University of Washington considered a public Ivy, offering Ivy League-like education for a lower cost.

On the flip side, Mississippi has the lowest-paid graduates earning just $52,266, $27,848 less than first-place New Jersey ($80,114). Despite being the lowest graduate earners by state, graduates still earn more than the state average of $47,570. The state also has the second lowest education attainment percentage with 24.4% of residents holding a bachelor’s degree or higher. 

Following on from Mississippi, the states with the lowest graduate earners are Montana ($54,642), New Mexico ($55,421), and Maine ($55,592).

The degree subjects with the highest earning potential RankDegree DisciplineClass of 2023Number of Graduates (bachelors)% EmployedMean Starting Salary1Computer & Information Science32,93869.3%$91,4112Maintenance & Repair5972.8%$90,1623Engineering49,82568.1%$80,0854Mathematics9,25951.5%$79,8595Engineering Technology4,13783.5%$69,1626Transportation2,25359.9%$67,4967Business107,12374.6%$66,5788Military Technologies26558.7%$66,5059Construction55100.0%$63,55110Multi-Discipline13,82158.7%$62,24711General Studies9,74963.5%$62,21612Health Professions48,40065.8%$62,14313Social Science43,71056.9%$60,34314Architecture4,79461.6%$58,73715Physical Sciences8,94842.0%$57,909Full dataset available here

Through analysis of graduate outcomes from the class of 2023, the most popular degree discipline is business with 107,123 graduates, meanwhile, the lowest subscribed discipline was Military Science with 14 graduates. 

The graduates who earn the most money are those who studied computer and information science, a course that sets up students with in-demand skills from high-paying employers, offering an average of $91,411 per year, much higher than the average $63,721 for the class of 2023. Just over two-thirds of the subject’s graduates are currently employed (69.3%) more than the US graduate average sitting at 62.1%.

Maintenance and repair programs earn the second most at $90,162, just 59 graduates from the class of 2023 studied this degree discipline, the third smallest group from the class of 2023, suggesting the subject is a lucrative avenue prospective students may want to explore for high earning potential. 

Engineering sits in third place with $80,085 earnings on average per year for graduates. Although the subject is high-earning, the competition is fierce with 49,825 students studying the subject in the class of 2023 and 68.1% of graduates currently employed. 

The lowest-earning subject from the analysis is theology, the study of religion. This subject was taken by 437 students and offers just a $38,710 salary yearly. The employment rate is also on the lower side with 59.1% of the class of 2023 employed. 

Following on from theology with the lowest graduate earners are parks & recreation ($42,117), education ($43,570), and psychology ($44,084).