STEM vs Liberal Arts: College Major ROI Comparison (2026)

STEM majors have an average ROI Score of 73/100 compared to 53/100 for liberal arts majors. STEM graduates earn $23,892 more in their first year ($73,737 vs $49,845). STEM majors also carry $3,333 less debt.

STEM Majors

Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Biology, Physics, Data Science, and related fields

Programs Analyzed: 3,610
Avg ROI Score: 73/100
Avg Median Debt: $23,512
Avg Year 1 Earnings: $73,737
Avg Year 5 Earnings: $106,709
Avg Graduation Rate: 100%

Liberal Arts Majors

English, History, Philosophy, Psychology, Sociology, Communications, Fine Arts, and related fields

Programs Analyzed: 2,895
Avg ROI Score: 53/100
Avg Median Debt: $26,845
Avg Year 1 Earnings: $49,845
Avg Year 5 Earnings: $67,435
Avg Graduation Rate: 100%

The STEM Earnings Premium

STEM graduates earn $23,892 more per year than liberal arts graduates in their first year out of school. By year five, the gap widens to $39,274. Over a 20-year career, this compounds to a significant difference in lifetime earnings and debt repayment capacity.

That said, the best liberal arts programs at selective schools can match or exceed average STEM outcomes. The variation within each category is substantial — the top liberal arts programs outperform the worst STEM programs.

Top 10 STEM Programs by ROI

#	School	Major	ROI Score	Debt	Earnings (1yr)
1	University of Hawaii at Manoa	Computer Science	A98	$6,171	$95,000
2	Central State University	Computer Science	A97	$8,894	$95,000
3	Tulane University of Louisiana	Computer Science	A97	$8,622	$95,000
4	University of Hawaii at Hilo	Computer Science	A97	$8,629	$95,000
5	University of Hawaii at Hilo	Mathematics	A97	$8,629	$78,000
6	Brigham Young University-Hawaii	Mathematics	A96	$6,110	$78,000
7	Brigham Young University-Hawaii	Computer Science	A96	$6,110	$95,000
8	Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Barranquitas	Computer Science	A96	$11,992	$95,000
9	Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Bayamon	Computer Science	A95	$12,726	$95,000
10	Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Ponce	Computer Science	A95	$13,114	$95,000

Top 10 Liberal Arts Programs by ROI

#	School	Major	ROI Score	Debt	Earnings (1yr)
1	Tulane University of Louisiana	Sociology	B74	$10,144	$58,000
2	University of Hawaii at Hilo	Sociology	B74	$10,152	$58,000
3	University of Hawaii at Hilo	Anthropology	B74	$10,152	$58,000
4	Brigham Young University-Hawaii	Anthropology	B73	$7,188	$58,000
5	Berea College	Sociology	B72	$13,892	$58,000
6	Universidad Adventista de las Antillas	Psychology	B72	$2,128	$48,000
7	Vassar College	Sociology	B70	$16,204	$58,000
8	University of Hawaii at Manoa	Psychology	B69	$7,260	$48,000
9	Wellesley College	Sociology	B69	$17,528	$58,000
10	Hamilton College	Sociology	B68	$18,120	$58,000

Frequently Asked Questions

On average, yes. STEM majors score 73/100 on our ROI scale vs 53/100 for liberal arts. STEM graduates earn $23,892 more in year one. However, top liberal arts programs at selective schools can match STEM outcomes, and career satisfaction and fit matter beyond raw ROI.

First-year earnings average $73,737 for STEM vs $49,845 for liberal arts — a gap of $23,892. By year five, STEM averages $106,709 vs $67,435 for liberal arts.

Economics, political science (at selective schools), and communications tend to rank highest among liberal arts for ROI. The school matters significantly — a liberal arts degree from a top-20 university often outperforms a STEM degree from a lower-ranked school.

STEM graduates carry an average of $23,512 in debt vs $26,845 for liberal arts. STEM majors actually carry less debt while earning more. The debt-to-earnings ratio is what matters most for financial outcomes.