Best Bachelor's Degree Programs at Michigan State University by ROI
Every Bachelor's Degree major at Michigan State University ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Programs Analyzed
76
Majors with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
+$23,656
Across all programs
Average Annual Cost
$30,528
Cost of attendance
| # | Major | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Computer Engineering.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$701,519 | $84,869 | $30,528 | $24,999 | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$683,733 | $83,811 | $30,528 | $22,500 | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
Computer and Information Sciences, General.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$658,778 | $82,666 | $30,528 | $24,022 | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
Statistics.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$643,154 | $81,993 | $30,528 | $25,625 | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
Mechanical Engineering.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$633,168 | $81,384 | $30,528 | $24,000 | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
Construction Engineering Technologies.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$557,727 | $77,704 | $30,528 | $25,363 | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
Chemical Engineering.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$529,774 | $76,388 | $30,528 | $26,573 | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
Materials Engineering
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$527,369 | $76,359 | $30,528 | $27,925 | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
Engineering-Related Fields.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$501,737 | $74,796 | $30,528 | $23,756 | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
Human Resources Management and Services.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$490,436 | $74,212 | $30,528 | $23,475 | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
Business Administration, Management and Operations.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$457,380 | $72,544 | $30,528 | $23,250 | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
Civil Engineering.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$439,518 | $71,904 | $30,528 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
Agricultural Engineering.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$359,768 | $67,984 | $30,528 | $28,000 | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
Engineering, General.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$358,153 | $67,532 | $30,528 | $22,500 | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
Finance and Financial Management Services.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$326,820 | $66,016 | $30,528 | $23,250 | Full ROI → |
| 16 |
Marketing.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$310,968 | $65,267 | $30,528 | $23,896 | Full ROI → |
| 17 |
Accounting and Related Services.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$308,860 | $65,118 | $30,528 | $23,250 | Full ROI → |
| 18 |
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$277,800 | $63,565 | $30,528 | $23,250 | Full ROI → |
| 19 |
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$247,193 | $62,389 | $30,528 | $28,500 | Full ROI → |
| 20 |
Economics.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$167,910 | $58,138 | $30,528 | $24,250 | Full ROI → |
| 21 |
International Relations and National Security Studies.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$157,733 | $57,664 | $30,528 | $24,766 | Full ROI → |
| 22 |
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$148,838 | $57,370 | $30,528 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 23 |
Food Science and Technology.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$113,858 | $55,486 | $30,528 | $25,000 | Full ROI → |
| 24 |
Public Policy Analysis.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$80,833 | $53,925 | $30,528 | $26,337 | Full ROI → |
| 25 |
Geography and Cartography.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$39,548 | $50,083 | $30,528 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 26 |
Agricultural Business and Management.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$38,279 | $51,648 | $30,528 | $24,125 | Full ROI → |
| 27 |
Soil Sciences.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$33,838 | $51,273 | $30,528 | $21,859 | Full ROI → |
| 28 |
Hospitality Administration/Management.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$33,824 | $51,324 | $30,528 | $22,625 | Full ROI → |
| 29 |
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$30,244 | $51,231 | $30,528 | $23,899 | Full ROI → |
| 30 |
International/Global Studies.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$14,558 | $50,656 | $30,528 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 31 |
Political Science and Government.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$2,210 | $49,740 | $30,528 | $22,576 | Full ROI → |
| 32 |
Communication and Media Studies.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$6,624 | $49,580 | $30,528 | $26,750 | Full ROI → |
| 33 |
Criminal Justice and Corrections.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$9,872 | $49,367 | $30,528 | $26,000 | Full ROI → |
| 34 |
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$19,571 | $48,978 | $30,528 | $27,422 | Full ROI → |
| 35 |
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$26,035 | $48,820 | $30,528 | $29,869 | Full ROI → |
| 36 |
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$29,264 | $48,313 | $30,528 | $24,750 | Full ROI → |
| 37 |
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$30,416 | $48,122 | $30,528 | $22,774 | Full ROI → |
| 38 |
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$31,754 | $48,256 | $30,528 | $25,750 | Full ROI → |
| 39 |
Physics.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$42,842 | $47,786 | $30,528 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 40 |
Non-Professional General Legal Studies (Undergraduate).
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$56,628 | $46,945 | $30,528 | $24,753 | Full ROI → |
| 41 |
Natural Resources Conservation and Research.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$58,234 | $46,797 | $30,528 | $23,750 | Full ROI → |
| 42 |
Sociology.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$62,061 | $46,824 | $30,528 | $26,985 | Full ROI → |
| 43 |
Mathematics.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$85,077 | $45,303 | $30,528 | $21,500 | Full ROI → |
| 44 |
Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$87,232 | $43,744 | $30,528 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 45 |
Design and Applied Arts.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$93,788 | $45,318 | $30,528 | $28,175 | Full ROI → |
| 46 |
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$96,451 | $45,135 | $30,528 | $27,437 | Full ROI → |
| 47 |
Journalism.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$117,941 | $43,895 | $30,528 | $24,985 | Full ROI → |
| 48 |
Special Education and Teaching.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$120,218 | $43,875 | $30,528 | $26,375 | Full ROI → |
| 49 |
Social Work.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$131,780 | $43,283 | $30,528 | $26,169 | Full ROI → |
| 50 |
Health and Physical Education/Fitness.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$139,512 | $42,885 | $30,528 | $26,000 | Full ROI → |
| 51 |
Genetics.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$144,530 | $42,575 | $30,528 | $25,125 | Full ROI → |
| 52 |
Education, General.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$146,222 | $42,617 | $30,528 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 53 |
Social Sciences, General.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$147,229 | $42,715 | $30,528 | $29,198 | Full ROI → |
| 54 |
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$151,783 | $42,360 | $30,528 | $27,312 | Full ROI → |
| 55 |
Chemistry.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$160,901 | $41,983 | $30,528 | $28,481 | Full ROI → |
| 56 |
Psychology, General.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$161,899 | $41,715 | $30,528 | $25,250 | Full ROI → |
| 57 |
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$170,229 | $40,986 | $30,528 | $20,620 | Full ROI → |
| 58 |
Biology, General.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$196,338 | $40,101 | $30,528 | $26,849 | Full ROI → |
| 59 |
English Language and Literature, General.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$204,320 | $39,607 | $30,528 | $25,443 | Full ROI → |
| 60 |
Animal Sciences.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$207,612 | $39,480 | $30,528 | $26,000 | Full ROI → |
| 61 |
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$239,387 | $37,925 | $30,528 | $26,500 | Full ROI → |
| 62 |
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$241,728 | $37,997 | $30,528 | $29,301 | Full ROI → |
| 63 |
History.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$263,502 | $36,753 | $30,528 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 64 |
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$281,587 | $35,790 | $30,528 | $26,130 | Full ROI → |
| 65 |
Neurobiology and Neurosciences.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$286,409 | $35,474 | $30,528 | $25,020 | Full ROI → |
| 66 |
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$302,845 | $34,882 | $30,528 | $28,425 | Full ROI → |
| 67 |
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$306,754 | $34,776 | $30,528 | $29,750 | Full ROI → |
| 68 |
Music.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$309,664 | $34,428 | $30,528 | $26,750 | Full ROI → |
| 69 |
Plant Sciences.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$322,169 | $33,634 | $30,528 | $24,250 | Full ROI → |
| 70 |
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$328,349 | $33,190 | $30,528 | $22,250 | Full ROI → |
| 71 |
Zoology/Animal Biology.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$350,802 | $32,388 | $30,528 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 72 |
Nutrition Sciences.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$362,842 | $31,651 | $30,528 | $25,000 | Full ROI → |
| 73 |
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$368,012 | $31,595 | $30,528 | $28,000 | Full ROI → |
| 74 |
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$371,340 | $31,117 | $30,528 | $23,384 | Full ROI → |
| 75 |
Fine and Studio Arts.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$387,193 | $30,830 | $30,528 | $30,875 | Full ROI → |
| 76 |
Anthropology.
Grad rate: 81.9% |
-$418,705 | $29,066 | $30,528 | $28,084 | Full ROI → |
How ROI is calculated
20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.