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Ranked: America’s 20 Lowest-Paying College Degrees

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June 30, 2026

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Julia Wendling

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The following content is sponsored by Terzo

Ranked: America’s 20 Lowest-Paying College Degrees

The lowest-paying college degrees can have a significant impact on lifetime earnings. While salary is only one factor when choosing a major, some fields consistently generate lower wages than others.

This visualization, created in partnership with Terzo as part of the Markets in a Minute series, ranks America’s lowest paying college degrees based on median mid-career wages. The data comes from the New York Fed and highlights which majors have the lowest earning potential in 2024.

Education Degrees Make Up Half the List

Education majors account for many of the lowest paying college degrees in America. Early childhood education ranks last overall, with a median mid-career wage of $52k.

Rank Major Mid-Career Median Wage ($k)
1 Early Childhood Education 52
2 Elementary Education 55
3 General Education 56
4 Special Education 56
5 Miscellaneous Education 60
6 Social Services 60
7 Secondary Education 62
8 Family and Consumer Sciences 65
9 Anthropology 65
10 Theology and Religion 66
11 Health Services 67
12 Nutrition Sciences 70
13 Treatment Therapy 70
14 Psychology 72
15 Fine Arts 72
16 Liberal Arts 75
17 Leisure and Hospitality 75
18 Earth Sciences 75
19 General Social Sciences 75
20 Performing Arts 75

Elementary education, general education, special education, and secondary education also appear in the lowest-earning list. Despite lower pay, these professions play a critical role in developing future generations.

Lowest-Paying Social Science Majors Face Lower Earnings

Several social science majors also rank among the lowest-paying college degrees. Social services, anthropology, theology and religion, psychology, and liberal arts all appear on the list.

These fields often lead to careers in public service, nonprofits, education, or community organizations. While demand remains steady, compensation tends to lag behind more technical professions.

Arts and Health Fields Also Feature

Fine arts and performing arts both rank among the lowest-paying majors, with median mid-career wages of $72k and $75k, respectively.

Several health-related degrees also make the list. Health services, nutrition sciences, and treatment therapy all report median mid-career wages below $71k.

What the Lowest Paying College Degrees Mean for CFOs

Compensation varies widely across industries and occupations. Understanding long-term earning trends can help finance leaders benchmark labor costs, evaluate talent markets, and better understand workforce dynamics.

In a market where success increasingly depends on maximizing existing assets, contract data has become an important source of untapped value. NirvanAI helps businesses unlock insights hidden within their contracts, turning complex data into actionable intelligence. For CFOs, that means faster decisions, lower risk, and a clearer view of opportunities across the organization.

Curious about the highest-paying college degrees? Check them out here.

Learn how Terzo’s NirvanAI can help your company save money by turning contract PDFs into structured, actionable insights.

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