School choice affects salary, but not equally across majors
The chart shows how much salaries vary across universities within the same major. Each bar represents the spread between lower and higher-paying schools, while the dot shows the typical outcome.
The main pattern is clear. Some majors show large salary gaps depending on where you study, while others remain relatively stable. This means school choice matters more in certain fields than others.
Top-paying majors also show the widest variation
Computer Science has one of the highest medians at around $100,000 / year, but also one of the widest spreads, ranging roughly from $75,000 / year to $145,000 / year.
Computer Engineering follows a similar pattern, with a median above $105,000 / year and a wide range across schools. This suggests that attending a top university can significantly increase earnings in these fields.
At the lower end, majors like Software and Media Applications show medians near $55,000 / year, with a narrower spread. This indicates less variation and generally lower earning potential.
Mid-range majors show moderate differences
Many majors fall in the middle, with medians between $70,000 / year and $90,000 / year. These include fields like Finance, Information Science, and Management Information Systems.
Their spreads are noticeable but not extreme. For example, Finance ranges roughly from $65,000 / year to just over $100,000 / year, showing that school choice still matters but not as dramatically.
Business-related fields like Accounting and Business Administration tend to cluster tightly, usually staying within a $60,000 / year to $90,000 / year range.
Some majors are stable regardless of school
Healthcare-related fields such as Nursing show relatively tight ranges. Nursing has a median around $85,000 / year, with most outcomes staying close to that value.
Similarly, majors like Health Administration and Rehabilitation show limited variation. This suggests that salaries in these fields are more standardized across institutions.
Why the gap differs by major
The variation depends on how the labor market values specialization and prestige. In technical fields, top schools often provide better access to high-paying employers and competitive roles.
These industries reward both skill and school reputation, which increases salary differences across universities. In contrast, fields with standardized roles tend to have more uniform pay regardless of school.
What this means for students
For students entering technical majors, school choice can have a large impact on early earnings. Attending a top program may significantly increase salary potential.
However, in more standardized fields, the return on choosing a higher-ranked school may be smaller. In these cases, factors like cost and location may matter more than prestige.
Takeaway
School choice does matter, but its impact depends on the major. Technical fields show the largest salary differences across universities, while others remain more consistent.
Understanding this difference can help students make better decisions based on both career goals and expected financial outcomes.
Dataset
Data Sources
U.S. Department of Education. (2026). College Scorecard Data (Most recent update: March 2026). https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/data/
U.S. Department of Education. (2026). College Scorecard — Earnings Data (4 years after graduation). https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/
Reddit user (OC). (2026). Salary outcomes by university and major (top programs, averages, spreads). https://www.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/1s9dqkc/salary_outcomes_by_university_and_major_top
