Best Bachelor's Degree Programs at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale by ROI

Every Bachelor's Degree major at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Associate Degree Bachelor's Degree Master's Degree

Programs Analyzed

55

Majors with salary data

Average 20-Yr Net ROI

-$102,914

Across all programs

Average Annual Cost

$29,268

Cost of attendance

# Major 20-Yr Net ROI Median Salary Annual Cost Avg Debt
1 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering.

Grad rate: 52.5%

+$533,285 $75,851 $29,268 $19,750 Full ROI →
2 Mechanical Engineering.

Grad rate: 52.5%

+$429,370 $70,959 $29,268 $24,250 Full ROI →
3 Computer Engineering.

Grad rate: 52.5%

+$335,453 $66,280 $29,268 $24,500 Full ROI →
4 Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies.

Grad rate: 52.5%

+$284,708 $62,089 $29,268 $0 Full ROI →
5 Civil Engineering.

Grad rate: 52.5%

+$271,983 $62,788 $29,268 $19,781 Full ROI →
6 Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians.

Grad rate: 52.5%

+$263,145 $62,306 $29,268 $19,187 Full ROI →
7 Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians.

Grad rate: 52.5%

+$253,668 $60,537 $29,268 $0 Full ROI →
8 Computer Science.

Grad rate: 52.5%

+$246,038 $61,978 $29,268 $27,000 Full ROI →
9 Information Science/Studies.

Grad rate: 52.5%

+$222,848 $58,996 $29,268 $0 Full ROI →
10 Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.

Grad rate: 52.5%

+$127,618 $56,057 $29,268 $27,000 Full ROI →
11 Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.

Grad rate: 52.5%

+$120,353 $55,523 $29,268 $24,470 Full ROI →
12 Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians.

Grad rate: 52.5%

+$115,308 $55,104 $29,268 $22,000 Full ROI →
13 Air Transportation.

Grad rate: 52.5%

+$110,833 $54,779 $29,268 $20,500 Full ROI →
14 Finance and Financial Management Services.

Grad rate: 52.5%

+$101,904 $54,329 $29,268 $20,447 Full ROI →
15 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas.

Grad rate: 52.5%

+$71,872 $52,877 $29,268 $21,182 Full ROI →
16 Accounting and Related Services.

Grad rate: 52.5%

+$15,919 $50,219 $29,268 $23,251 Full ROI →
17 Architecture.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$722 $49,505 $29,268 $25,000 Full ROI →
18 Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$862 $49,633 $29,268 $27,000 Full ROI →
19 Business Administration, Management and Operations.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$2,177 $49,601 $29,268 $27,500 Full ROI →
20 Soil Sciences.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$33,552 $46,176 $29,268 $0 Full ROI →
21 Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$43,472 $45,680 $29,268 $0 Full ROI →
22 Funeral Service and Mortuary Science.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$57,762 $47,058 $29,268 $31,000 Full ROI →
23 Communication Disorders Sciences and Services.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$59,615 $46,373 $29,268 $22,225 Full ROI →
24 Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$92,372 $43,235 $29,268 $0 Full ROI →
25 Agricultural Business and Management.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$105,202 $43,606 $29,268 $15,000 Full ROI →
26 Criminology.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$123,392 $43,304 $29,268 $24,000 Full ROI →
27 Marketing.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$124,862 $43,298 $29,268 $25,000 Full ROI →
28 Forestry.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$137,193 $42,446 $29,268 $21,512 Full ROI →
29 Agriculture, General.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$143,692 $41,884 $29,268 $18,000 Full ROI →
30 Special Education and Teaching.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$170,833 $40,856 $29,268 $22,875 Full ROI →
31 Geography and Cartography.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$176,352 $39,036 $29,268 $0 Full ROI →
32 Health and Medical Administrative Services.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$191,042 $39,989 $29,268 $25,000 Full ROI →
33 Legal Support Services.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$213,032 $39,092 $29,268 $28,000 Full ROI →
34 Nutrition Sciences.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$229,924 $37,893 $29,268 $22,750 Full ROI →
35 Health and Physical Education/Fitness.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$234,984 $37,640 $29,268 $22,750 Full ROI →
36 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$235,256 $37,572 $29,268 $21,944 Full ROI →
37 Journalism.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$248,657 $37,142 $29,268 $25,500 Full ROI →
38 Political Science and Government.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$272,082 $36,016 $29,268 $26,171 Full ROI →
39 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$275,172 $35,850 $29,268 $26,000 Full ROI →
40 Social Work.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$278,002 $35,776 $29,268 $27,000 Full ROI →
41 Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$292,560 $34,611 $29,268 $20,525 Full ROI →
42 Hospitality Administration/Management.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$303,122 $34,520 $29,268 $27,000 Full ROI →
43 Animal Sciences.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$317,745 $33,447 $29,268 $21,936 Full ROI →
44 Psychology, General.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$323,492 $33,299 $29,268 $24,000 Full ROI →
45 History.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$331,726 $33,018 $29,268 $25,937 Full ROI →
46 Radio, Television, and Digital Communication.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$362,075 $31,439 $29,268 $25,025 Full ROI →
47 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$372,086 $31,176 $29,268 $28,544 Full ROI →
48 Biology, General.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$390,282 $30,162 $29,268 $27,000 Full ROI →
49 Zoology/Animal Biology.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$391,469 $29,746 $29,268 $21,717 Full ROI →
50 Apparel and Textiles.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$409,902 $29,451 $29,268 $31,000 Full ROI →
51 English Language and Literature, General.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$416,107 $28,837 $29,268 $26,500 Full ROI →
52 Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$418,817 $28,499 $29,268 $23,500 Full ROI →
53 Anthropology.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$423,842 $28,349 $29,268 $25,000 Full ROI →
54 Film/Video and Photographic Arts.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$473,737 $25,483 $29,268 $19,500 Full ROI →
55 Fine and Studio Arts.

Grad rate: 52.5%

-$487,447 $25,270 $29,268 $26,500 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.