High Paying Jobs by Degree Petroleum Engineers Make Most

High Paying Jobs by Degree Petroleum Engineers Make Most You don’t necessarily need an MBA or a PhD to get a high-paying job, but the job outlook for this bachelor’s degree also shows why it’s a bad idea to pick a career based on cash alone. PayScale’s College Salary Report reveals the degrees whose recipients have earned the highest paying median salaries after graduation. But, if we look at the top-paying degrees as a whole â€" meaning all degree levels, from associate’s to PhD â€" one thing stands out: those with bachelor’s degrees in Petroleum Engineering have out-earned many MBAs and PhDs by mid-career. Read More: Work in Houston? You Are 17 Times More Likely to Have This Job Seriously. Look at the top 10 highest-paying degrees. Petroleum Engineering is the only bachelor’s degree on the list: Petroleum Engineering Degree Level: Bachelor’s Mid-Career Median Pay: $172,000 Nurse Anesthesia Degree Level: Master’s Mid-Career Median Pay: $156,000 Strategy Degree Level: MBA Mid-Career Median Pay: $149,000 (tied) General Strategic Management Degree Level: MBA Mid-Career Median Pay: $146,000 (tied) Chemical Engineering Degree Level: PhD Mid-Career Median Pay: $146,000 (tied) Organic Chemistry: Degree Level: PhD Mid-Career Median Pay: $146,000 Computer Science (CS) Degree Level: PhD Mid-Career Median Pay: $145,000 Electrical Engineering (EE) Degree Level: PhD Mid-Career Median Pay: $144,000 Pharmacology Degree Level: PhD Mid-Career Median Pay: $141,000 Entrepreneurship Degree Level: MBA Mid-Career Median Pay: $139,000 Read More: 5 Problem-Solving Skills All Professionals Need Can You Still Get a Job as a Petroleum Engineer? The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that Petroleum Engineer jobs will increase 10 percent between 2014 and 2024 â€" much faster than average occupation growth. However, as oil prices continue to decline, that forecast might change. Today’s grads are already reportedly seeing fewer job offers. “In 2014, 95 percent of graduates with a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering found work in the oil and gas industry, according to the Society of Petroleum Engineers,” write Tom DiChristopher and John W. Schoen at CNBC. “This year, 64 percent found work.” Read More: Jobvite Report: 86 Percent of Recruiters Anticipate No Layoffs at Their Employer Next Year Texas Tech professor of petroleum engineering Lloyd Heinze tells CNBC that students may not wind up unemployed after graduation, because their degrees are applicable to other industries, such as managing water resources. But those jobs are unlikely to pay as much as petroleum engineering jobs. Bottom line, while it’s always smart to learn as much as you can about job prospects before choosing a major, it’s a mistake to pick a career based solely on future earnings. When markets change and job prospects dwindle, the people who’ll remain satisfied with their jobs will be the ones who are passionate about what they’re doing â€" even if it no longer pays boom salaries. Video Player is loading.Play VideoPlayMuteCurrent Time  0:00/Duration  0:00Loaded: 0%Stream Type  LIVESeek to live, currently playing liveLIVERemaining Time  -0:00  SharePlayback Rate1xChaptersChaptersDescriptionsdescriptions off, selectedCaptionscaptions settings, opens captions settings dialogcaptions off, selectedAudio TrackFullscreenThis is a modal window.Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.TextColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentBackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparentWindowColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaqueFont Size50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%Text Edge StyleNoneRaisedDepressedUniformDropshadowFont FamilyProportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall CapsReset restore all settings to the default valuesDoneClose Modal Dia logEnd of dialog window.PlayMuteCurrent Time  0:00/Duration  0:00Loaded: 0%Stream Type  LIVESeek to live, currently playing liveLIVERemaining Time  -0:00  Playback Rate1xFullscreenClose Modal DialogThis is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.Close Modal DialogThis is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.