Science Graduates Have Many Options

A recent study by researchers at the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce indicates that graduates with a bachelor’s degree in one of the sciences have many career options and that such a degree can command high salaries. In highlighting this study, an October 20th article in the Chronicle of Higher Education points out that the authors of the report found that “sixty-five percent of students earning bachelor's degrees in science or engineering fields earn more than master's-degree holders in nonscience fields do” and “47 percent of bachelor's-degree holders in science fields earn more than do those holding doctorates in other fields.” In addition to high salary potential, the report finds that STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) graduates have career options that go well beyond traditional careers in the laboratory. A New York Times blog post about this study notes that “professions that depend heavily on skills learned in [STEM] fields are the second-fastest growing occupational group in the United States, after health care. While traditional fields like computer engineering and laboratory research make up about 5 percent of the work force, demand for science, technology, engineering and math skills is spreading far beyond, to occupations in manufacturing, utilities, transportation and mining, as well as to sales and management.”