While the average income data is not as useful as income by major, it is useful in showing the general focus of a school. A high average means there are likely many STEM majors. A low average means there are probably more liberal arts majors. Schools that have more STEM majors tend to be more “serious” schools, while schools with more liberal arts majors tend to be less serious academically. So in effect, the average income tells you which are the more serious schools, and which are the less serious.
But the income data could be expanded to indicate the most pressing questions that most people want to know:
-
Comparing the same major, how does the starting salary, 10 year and 20 year salaries of a 2nd tier public compared with a 2nd tier private, with a first tier flagship state U, with a top 20 private school?
-
How does the CS/Engineering major from a flagship state U compare with a liberal arts major from a top 20 private school in starting salary, 10 year and 20 year incomes?
We’ve often read about how liberal arts majors end up out earning STEM majors in mid or late career, is that true? The most pressing questions that many people want to know is, in the long run are you better off going to a State U and major in CS/Engineering, or are you better off going to Yale to get a degree in Serbian poetry? Does that expensive seemingly useless degree from Yale really pay off 20, 30 years down the road?