A new report shows some undergraduate degrees pay off more than others — literally. Using data from the U.S. Census, the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce's "What's It Worth: The Economic Value of College Majors" report, issued May 24, looked at 171 different majors and found that the difference in earning potential between one field of study and another can be more than 300%. TIME took a look at the 10 highest- and the 10 lowest-earning majors
Median earnings per year: $39,000
While social-work majors may be near the bottom of the barrel when it comes to earnings, the Georgetown report found that obtaining a graduate-level degree really does pay off. Those who obtained graduate degrees in miscellaneous social sciences, including social work, increased their earnings by as much as 134%.
