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Lowest Paying Majors
Bottom 50 college majors by estimated median 5-year earnings
| # | College | Major | Degrees | Accept | Earnings | ROI | Employ | Debt-to-Earn | Male | White | Asian | Black | Hispanic | Intl | SAT p25 | SAT p50 | SAT p75 | Submit % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | State University of New York at New Paltz | 14 | 46% | $13,712 | 1 | 92% | — | 57% | 71% | 0% | 14% | 14% | 0% | 1170 | 1260 | 1340 | 15% |
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| 2 | Roosevelt | Musical Theatre | 46 | 92% | $15,262 | 1 | 95% | — | 30% | 76% | 2% | 4% | 11% | 4% | 890 | 1030 | 1170 | 27% |
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| 3 | Roosevelt | Acting | 17 | 92% | $15,262 | 1 | 95% | — | 35% | 71% | 6% | 0% | 12% | 6% | 890 | 1030 | 1170 | 27% |
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| 4 | U. of California, Irvine | Human Biology | 126 | 29% | $15,599 | 1 | 90% | — | 42% | 14% | 61% | 2% | 13% | 1% | — | — | — | — |
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| 5 | Fashion Institute of Technology | Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects | 25 | 53% | $16,318 | 2 | 71% | — | 28% | 20% | 52% | 0% | 20% | 4% | — | — | — | — |
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| 6 | Berklee College of Music | Dance | 63 | 55% | $17,904 | 1 | 95% | — | 8% | 54% | 5% | 17% | 10% | 11% | — | — | — | — |
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| 7 | U. of California, Berkeley | Music | 46 | 11% | $17,970 | 1 | 73% | — | 50% | 35% | 26% | 2% | 17% | 9% | — | — | — | — |
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| 8 | Arcadia | Theatre | 11 | 68% | $18,045 | 1 | 100% | — | 27% | 73% | 0% | 18% | 0% | 0% | — | — | — | — |
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| 9 | Clemson | Fine/Studio Arts | 11 | 42% | $18,478 | 1 | 90% | — | 18% | 64% | 0% | 0% | 18% | 0% | 1250 | 1330 | 1400 | 55% |
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| 10 | Clemson | Fine Arts | 10 | 42% | $18,478 | 1 | 90% | — | 10% | 90% | 0% | 10% | 0% | 0% | 1250 | 1330 | 1400 | 55% |
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| 11 | Florida Atlantic | Theatre | 20 | 52% | $18,574 | 2 | 95% | — | 25% | 45% | 5% | 10% | 25% | 5% | 1040 | 1120 | 1200 | 99% |
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| 12 | Columbus State | Music Performance | 22 | 79% | $18,610 | 2 | 100% | — | 73% | 55% | 0% | 5% | 14% | 23% | 800 | 930 | 1060 | 26% |
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| 13 | Pacific Northwest College of Art | Digital Arts | 20 | 75% | $19,152 | 1 | 84% | — | 25% | 80% | 0% | 0% | 10% | 5% | — | — | — | — |
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| 14 | New Mexico State | 10 | 57% | $19,406 | 1 | 89% | — | 20% | 30% | 0% | 0% | 50% | 10% | 870 | 990 | 1110 | 86% |
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| 15 | Lewis & Clark | Art History | 17 | 79% | $20,013 | 1 | 91% | — | 12% | 82% | 0% | 0% | 6% | 6% | — | — | — | — |
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| 16 | Lewis & Clark | Studio Art | 21 | 79% | $20,013 | 1 | 91% | — | 10% | 71% | 0% | 5% | 10% | 10% | — | — | — | — |
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| 17 | SUNY at Purchase | Dance | 38 | 75% | $20,200 | 2 | 94% | — | 16% | 42% | 5% | 32% | 5% | 5% | 1180 | 1280 | 1380 | 60% |
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| 18 | Georgia Southern | Theater | 12 | 89% | $20,923 | 2 | 96% | — | 58% | 67% | 0% | 33% | 0% | 0% | 980 | 1060 | 1130 | 53% |
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| 19 | Florida International | Asian Studies | 23 | 55% | $21,331 | 2 | 74% | 12.5% | 26% | 4% | 9% | 9% | 65% | 0% | 1070 | 1170 | 1260 | 100% |
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| 20 | Bennington | Visual Arts | 17 | 45% | $21,365 | 1 | 88% | — | 29% | 59% | 0% | 0% | 24% | 12% | 1290 | 1350 | 1400 | 14% |
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| 21 | Rowan | Theater | 23 | 77% | $21,581 | 2 | 100% | — | 39% | 65% | 9% | 9% | 13% | 4% | 1100 | 1200 | 1300 | 27% |
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| 22 | U. of Florida | Dance | 22 | 20% | $21,635 | 2 | 93% | — | 14% | 41% | 5% | 23% | 32% | 0% | 1330 | 1410 | 1490 | 100% |
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| 23 | Indiana | Dance | 15 | 76% | $21,767 | 1 | 94% | — | 0% | 87% | 0% | 7% | 0% | 0% | 1170 | 1290 | 1400 | 56% |
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| 24 | State University of New York at New Paltz | Theater | 26 | 46% | $21,853 | 2 | 95% | — | 12% | 65% | 0% | 8% | 19% | 4% | 1170 | 1260 | 1340 | 15% |
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| 25 | U. of Southern California | Jazz/Jazz Studies | 13 | 11% | $21,859 | 1 | 86% | — | 85% | 46% | 8% | 8% | 31% | 0% | 1470 | 1510 | 1540 | 45% |
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| 26 | U. of Southern California | Choral Music | 24 | 11% | $21,859 | 1 | 86% | — | 58% | 54% | 8% | 8% | 17% | 4% | 1470 | 1510 | 1540 | 45% |
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| 27 | The New School | Music History | 13 | 63% | $21,999 | 1 | 86% | — | 54% | 54% | 8% | 8% | 15% | 15% | — | — | — | — |
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| 28 | The New School | Jazz Studies | 57 | 63% | $21,999 | 1 | 86% | — | 67% | 35% | 11% | 2% | 12% | 39% | — | — | — | — |
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| 29 | The New School | Music Performance | 21 | 63% | $21,999 | 1 | 85% | — | 52% | 24% | 19% | 5% | 10% | 38% | — | — | — | — |
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| 30 | U. of Central Arkansas | Film Production | 25 | 92% | $22,566 | 2 | 88% | — | 68% | 84% | 0% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 910 | 1040 | 1170 | 97% |
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| 31 | The New School | Theatre | 36 | 63% | $22,663 | 1 | 94% | — | 14% | 50% | 3% | 3% | 22% | 11% | — | — | — | — |
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| 32 | The New School | Musical Theatre | 31 | 63% | $22,663 | 1 | 94% | — | 19% | 32% | 3% | 3% | 10% | 52% | — | — | — | — |
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| 33 | U. of Georgia | Music Performance | 16 | 34% | $22,677 | 2 | 95% | — | 50% | 62% | 19% | 0% | 12% | 0% | 1250 | 1340 | 1420 | 100% |
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| 34 | U. of Georgia | Music | 15 | 34% | $22,677 | 2 | 95% | — | 33% | 47% | 40% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1250 | 1340 | 1420 | 100% |
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| 35 | Old Dominion | Theater | 12 | 91% | $22,706 | 2 | 100% | — | 50% | 17% | 0% | 50% | 8% | 0% | 1120 | 1200 | 1270 | 8% |
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| 36 | Calvin | Film Studies | 15 | 75% | $22,809 | 1 | 100% | — | 67% | 87% | 7% | 0% | 7% | 0% | 1080 | 1210 | 1330 | 48% |
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| 37 | CUNY City | Theatre | 23 | 58% | $22,972 | 3 | 86% | — | 48% | 17% | 0% | 35% | 48% | 0% | 1070 | 1270 | 1430 | 11% |
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| 38 | U. of Oklahoma - Norman | Dance | 18 | 77% | $23,083 | 2 | 100% | — | 17% | 50% | 0% | 11% | 17% | 11% | 1140 | 1240 | 1330 | 63% |
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| 39 | U. of Texas at El Paso | International Business | 40 | 95% | $23,296 | 2 | 94% | — | 45% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 82% | 12% | 860 | 970 | 1080 | 56% |
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| 40 | Cal State Fullerton | Music Performance | 32 | 52% | $23,297 | 3 | 100% | — | 38% | 19% | 22% | 0% | 44% | 9% | — | — | — | — |
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| 41 | Cal State Fullerton | Music | 36 | 52% | $23,297 | 3 | 100% | — | 56% | 19% | 25% | 0% | 42% | 3% | — | — | — | — |
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| 42 | Cal State Long Beach | Theatre Arts | 74 | 46% | $23,349 | 3 | 94% | — | 42% | 19% | 15% | 5% | 42% | 4% | — | — | — | — |
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| 43 | State University of New York at New Paltz | Music | 20 | 46% | $23,427 | 3 | 94% | — | 60% | 75% | 0% | 10% | 10% | 0% | 1170 | 1260 | 1340 | 15% |
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| 44 | Oberlin | Creative Writing | 14 | 34% | $23,575 | 1 | 100% | — | 43% | 93% | 0% | 7% | 0% | 0% | 1370 | 1430 | 1480 | 48% |
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| 45 | Bennington | Theatre | 18 | 45% | $23,819 | 1 | 94% | — | 22% | 72% | 0% | 0% | 6% | 6% | 1290 | 1350 | 1400 | 14% |
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| 46 | San Francisco Conservatory of Music | Technology and Applied Composition | 11 | 55% | $23,902 | 1 | 81% | — | 55% | 45% | 0% | 0% | 9% | 18% | — | — | — | — |
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| 47 | San Francisco Conservatory of Music | Strings | 13 | 55% | $23,902 | 1 | 81% | — | 54% | 23% | 31% | 0% | 15% | 15% | — | — | — | — |
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| 48 | Nazareth | Theater | 10 | 55% | $23,931 | 1 | 100% | — | 10% | 80% | 0% | 10% | 0% | 0% | 1070 | 1200 | 1320 | 11% |
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| 49 | U. of Illinois Chicago | Entrepreneurship | 18 | 76% | $23,966 | 2 | 90% | — | 72% | 22% | 17% | 28% | 28% | 6% | 1030 | 1170 | 1300 | 51% |
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| 50 | Cal State Long Beach | Dance | 40 | 46% | $24,143 | 3 | 87% | — | 12% | 30% | 5% | 5% | 48% | 0% | — | — | — | — |
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