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![Benzinga Avatar](https://lunarcrush.com/gi/w:24/cr:twitter::44060322.png) Benzinga [@Benzinga](/creator/twitter/Benzinga) on x 305.7K followers
Created: 2025-07-07 00:59:52 UTC

Want $100K before 40? Your college major might be the most important decision you make.

A new Federal Reserve study shows just how big the wage gap really is — and engineering degrees dominate the top.

Chemical, computer, and aerospace engineering majors are starting their careers around $80K. By mid-career, many are earning $120K or more. 

Even civil engineers, the lowest-ranked among them, start at $71K — nearly $30K above the average new grad.

And it’s not just about a fast start. The compounding effect of a higher salary early on makes a huge difference over time.

Compare that to the other end of the spectrum: early childhood education majors top out at $49K. Foreign language majors start at $40K. Political science and marketing hover below six figures by mid-career.

The message is clear — while passion matters, the data says your major still sets the opening bid for your financial future.

![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GvN2HklWYAAs_6P.jpg)

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**Related Topics**
[$120k](/topic/$120k)
[$80k](/topic/$80k)
[careers](/topic/careers)
[federal reserve](/topic/federal-reserve)
[$100k](/topic/$100k)

[Post Link](https://x.com/Benzinga/status/1942025741979267165)