The average salary with a master’s degree is highly subjective. Salaries vary widely depending on the field of study, the job position, the candidate’s work experience, and the geographical location. Generally, people with advanced degrees, such as master’s, tend to earn higher salaries than those with only an undergraduate degree. However, many other factors affect pay, so it is difficult to determine the exact average salary of those having a master’s degree. There are also a few instances where a master’s and bachelor’s degree holder’s salaries are almost similar.
Nevertheless, as an indicator, here is a list of popular master’s degrees and their average salary compared to bachelor’s degrees:
Degree/Major | Bachelor’s Average Starting Salary | Master’s Average Starting Salary | Difference |
---|---|---|---|
Biology | $37,182 | $69,353 | 86.5% |
Business Administration / Management | $54,392 | $82,372 | 51.4% |
Computer / Information Technology Administration & Management | $59,032 | $86,695 | 46.9% |
Communication & Media Studies | $42,345 | $62,166 | 46.8% |
Systems Engineering | $73,559 | $106,640 | 45.0% |
Registered Nursing | $58,626 | $84,673 | 44.4% |
Psychology | $37,006 | $52,786 | 42.6% |
English Language & Literature/Letters | $38,597 | $54,102 | 40.2% |
Social Work | $35,622 | $48,711 | 36.7% |
Source: Summer 2021 Salary Survey, National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE)