How much money do Purdue University Main Campus graduates make and which majors earn the most upon graduating? Six years after enrolling, alumni who are working have average earnings of $47,200 per year. After ten years, graduates earn $61,200 on average.
In terms of specific areas of study, the following is a ranking of degree programs by the median first-year starting salaries for Purdue graduates.
The undergraduate degree which initially pays the highest is Computer Science with a median starting salary of $84,800 followed by Computer Engineering paying $71,600 and Mechanical Engineering graduates who have a median starting income of $69,200 .
Looking at post-graduate and doctorate students, those completing the Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degree) program rank first with a median initial income of $110,200 followed by Engineering, Other (Master's Degree) at $89,400 and Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degree) who earn $87,000 .
Note about salary data: First year earnings data are aggregated by the US Department of Education and analyzes IRS reported income for Purdue University Main Campus graduates who received federal financial aid in the form of grants or loans. Not all graduates or fields of study are represented as data for some degree programs are omitted for privacy purposes.
| Major | Earnings |
|---|---|
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degree) | $110,200 |
| Engineering, Other (Master's Degree) | $89,400 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degree) | $87,000 |
| Computer Science (Bachelor’s Degree) | $84,800 |
| Veterinary Medicine (First Professional Degree) | $78,300 |
| Computer Engineering (Bachelor’s Degree) | $71,600 |
| Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor’s Degree) | $69,200 |
| Industrial Engineering (Bachelor’s Degree) | $68,900 |
| Chemical Engineering (Bachelor’s Degree) | $68,300 |
| Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor’s Degree) | $66,000 |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor’s Degree) | $65,900 |
| Computer and Information Sciences (Bachelor’s Degree) | $65,800 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (Bachelor’s Degree) | $63,900 |
| Agricultural Engineering (Bachelor’s Degree) | $63,700 |
| Civil Engineering (Bachelor’s Degree) | $62,000 |
| Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor’s Degree) | $61,600 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Bachelor’s Degree) | $61,200 |
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor’s Degree) | $59,300 |
| Engineering Technology (Bachelor’s Degree) | $58,400 |
| Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor’s Degree) | $56,300 |
| Communication and Media Studies (Master's Degree) | $56,200 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor’s Degree) | $56,000 |
| Education (Master's Degree) | $54,200 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor’s Degree) | $53,700 |
| Communication and Media Studies (Graduate/Professional Certificate) | $53,400 |
| Statistics (Bachelor’s Degree) | $52,600 |
| General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations (Bachelor’s Degree) | $48,900 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) | $47,500 |
| Economics (Bachelor’s Degree) | $46,900 |
| Agricultural Business and Management (Bachelor’s Degree) | $46,500 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management (Bachelor’s Degree) | $43,700 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences Studies and Humanities (Bachelor’s Degree) | $42,600 |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other (Bachelor’s Degree) | $41,900 |
| Political Science and Government (Bachelor’s Degree) | $41,300 |
| Air Transportation (Bachelor’s Degree) | $40,300 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor’s Degree) | $40,000 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Business Services (Bachelor’s Degree) | $39,700 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor’s Degree) | $39,300 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor’s Degree) | $37,600 |
| Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor’s Degree) | $37,600 |
| Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor’s Degree) | $36,100 |
| Sociology (Bachelor’s Degree) | $35,900 |
| Computer Software and Media Applications (Bachelor’s Degree) | $35,000 |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services (Bachelor’s Degree) | $33,800 |
| Biology (Bachelor’s Degree) | $33,500 |
| Animal Sciences (Bachelor’s Degree) | $32,800 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services (Bachelor’s Degree) | $31,200 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology (Bachelor’s Degree) | $28,700 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Bachelor’s Degree) | $27,300 |
| Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor’s Degree) | $24,200 |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=243780 IPEDS survey and College Scorecard data for Purdue University Main Campus.