Best Bachelor's Degree Programs at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University by ROI
Every Bachelor's Degree major at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Programs Analyzed
58
Majors with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
+$141,827
Across all programs
Average Annual Cost
$32,040
Cost of attendance
| # | Major | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Computer and Information Sciences, General.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$939,105 | $96,747 | $32,040 | $20,500 | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
Construction Engineering.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$818,597 | $91,140 | $32,040 | $26,698 | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
Computer Engineering.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$800,020 | $90,164 | $32,040 | $26,000 | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
Chemical Engineering.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$652,377 | $82,738 | $32,040 | $25,350 | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$638,985 | $81,822 | $32,040 | $21,700 | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
Industrial Engineering.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$588,885 | $79,396 | $32,040 | $22,870 | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$558,583 | $78,082 | $32,040 | $25,849 | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
Mechanical Engineering.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$555,350 | $77,728 | $32,040 | $23,000 | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
Construction Management.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$550,870 | $77,774 | $32,040 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$544,700 | $77,398 | $32,040 | $26,000 | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
Mining and Mineral Engineering.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$495,875 | $74,613 | $32,040 | $20,907 | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
Finance and Financial Management Services.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$481,385 | $73,996 | $32,040 | $22,500 | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
Engineering Mechanics.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$450,775 | $72,803 | $32,040 | $27,500 | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
Accounting and Related Services.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$433,265 | $71,320 | $32,040 | $18,500 | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
Materials Engineering
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$431,350 | $71,798 | $32,040 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 16 |
Engineering-Related Fields.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$428,597 | $71,441 | $32,040 | $23,750 | Full ROI → |
| 17 |
Business/Managerial Economics.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$411,340 | $68,975 | $32,040 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 18 |
Civil Engineering.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$377,904 | $69,042 | $32,040 | $25,760 | Full ROI → |
| 19 |
Agricultural Engineering.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$263,416 | $63,376 | $32,040 | $26,625 | Full ROI → |
| 20 |
Economics.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$239,165 | $61,885 | $32,040 | $22,500 | Full ROI → |
| 21 |
Marketing.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$214,465 | $60,650 | $32,040 | $22,500 | Full ROI → |
| 22 |
Statistics.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$207,435 | $59,826 | $32,040 | $15,500 | Full ROI → |
| 23 |
Architecture.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$165,990 | $58,665 | $32,040 | $29,000 | Full ROI → |
| 24 |
Mathematics.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$147,052 | $57,330 | $32,040 | $23,250 | Full ROI → |
| 25 |
Business Administration, Management and Operations.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$141,317 | $56,995 | $32,040 | $22,535 | Full ROI → |
| 26 |
Physics.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$131,570 | $56,809 | $32,040 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 27 |
Political Science and Government.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$106,842 | $55,387 | $32,040 | $24,250 | Full ROI → |
| 28 |
Hospitality Administration/Management.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$97,432 | $55,013 | $32,040 | $25,680 | Full ROI → |
| 29 |
Design and Applied Arts.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$86,927 | $54,496 | $32,040 | $25,802 | Full ROI → |
| 30 |
Landscape Architecture.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$56,440 | $51,230 | $32,040 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 31 |
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Business Services.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$32,938 | $51,599 | $32,040 | $22,875 | Full ROI → |
| 32 |
Agricultural Business and Management.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$20,771 | $50,999 | $32,040 | $22,999 | Full ROI → |
| 33 |
International Relations and National Security Studies.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$18,335 | $50,776 | $32,040 | $21,500 | Full ROI → |
| 34 |
Philosophy.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$11,600 | $48,988 | $32,040 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 35 |
Chemistry.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$329 | $50,213 | $32,040 | $26,497 | Full ROI → |
| 36 |
Communication and Media Studies.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
-$13,587 | $49,120 | $32,040 | $20,613 | Full ROI → |
| 37 |
Natural Resources Conservation and Research.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
-$22,710 | $49,055 | $32,040 | $26,408 | Full ROI → |
| 38 |
Geography and Cartography.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
-$29,515 | $48,316 | $32,040 | $20,500 | Full ROI → |
| 39 |
Sociology.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
-$86,519 | $45,625 | $32,040 | $22,859 | Full ROI → |
| 40 |
Food Science and Technology.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
-$88,641 | $45,790 | $32,040 | $26,875 | Full ROI → |
| 41 |
History.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
-$89,293 | $45,327 | $32,040 | $20,499 | Full ROI → |
| 42 |
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
-$89,630 | $45,614 | $32,040 | $25,000 | Full ROI → |
| 43 |
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
-$96,395 | $45,107 | $32,040 | $22,500 | Full ROI → |
| 44 |
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
-$100,488 | $45,012 | $32,040 | $24,125 | Full ROI → |
| 45 |
Forestry.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
-$116,800 | $43,980 | $32,040 | $20,919 | Full ROI → |
| 46 |
Public Policy Analysis.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
-$130,381 | $42,933 | $32,040 | $15,468 | Full ROI → |
| 47 |
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
-$155,865 | $42,066 | $32,040 | $21,500 | Full ROI → |
| 48 |
English Language and Literature, General.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
-$166,353 | $41,550 | $32,040 | $21,625 | Full ROI → |
| 49 |
Plant Sciences.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
-$172,907 | $41,159 | $32,040 | $20,687 | Full ROI → |
| 50 |
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
-$178,545 | $41,067 | $32,040 | $23,500 | Full ROI → |
| 51 |
Psychology, General.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
-$190,103 | $40,398 | $32,040 | $22,151 | Full ROI → |
| 52 |
Fine and Studio Arts.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
-$266,016 | $36,884 | $32,040 | $26,323 | Full ROI → |
| 53 |
Music.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
-$276,110 | $36,425 | $32,040 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 54 |
Agriculture, General.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
-$282,380 | $34,289 | $32,040 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 55 |
Biology, General.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
-$308,355 | $34,374 | $32,040 | $20,500 | Full ROI → |
| 56 |
Animal Sciences.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
-$308,811 | $34,495 | $32,040 | $22,631 | Full ROI → |
| 57 |
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
-$309,119 | $34,615 | $32,040 | $24,637 | Full ROI → |
| 58 |
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management.
Grad rate: 86.3% |
-$395,445 | $30,087 | $32,040 | $21,500 | 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.