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

STEM majors have an average ROI Score of 82/100 compared to 66/100 for liberal arts majors. STEM graduates earn $23,568 more in their first year ($73,601 vs $50,033). STEM majors also carry $3,468 less debt.

STEM Majors

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

Programs Analyzed: 574
Avg ROI Score: 82/100
Avg Median Debt: $23,675
Avg Year 1 Earnings: $73,601
Avg Year 5 Earnings: $107,243
Avg Graduation Rate: 100%

Liberal Arts Majors

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

Programs Analyzed: 485
Avg ROI Score: 66/100
Avg Median Debt: $27,143
Avg Year 1 Earnings: $50,033
Avg Year 5 Earnings: $67,685
Avg Graduation Rate: 100%

The STEM Earnings Premium

STEM graduates earn $23,568 more per year than liberal arts graduates in their first year out of school. By year five, the gap widens to $39,558. 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	Central State University	Computer Science	A100	$8,894	$95,000
2	Boston College	Computer Science	A98	$16,174	$95,000
3	Boston College	Mathematics	A98	$16,174	$78,000
4	Claremont McKenna College	Computer Science	A98	$16,568	$95,000
5	Bates College	Mathematics	A97	$17,853	$78,000
6	Bloomfield College	Computer Science	A97	$17,017	$95,000
7	Bloomfield College	Applied Mathematics	A97	$17,017	$78,000
8	Brandeis University	Computer Science	A97	$16,976	$95,000
9	Brandeis University	Applied Mathematics	A97	$16,976	$78,000
10	Brandeis University	Mathematics	A97	$16,976	$78,000

Top 10 Liberal Arts Programs by ROI

#	School	Major	ROI Score	Debt	Earnings (1yr)
1	Berea College	Sociology	B76	$13,892	$58,000
2	Alice Lloyd College	Sociology	B74	$19,144	$58,000
3	Bloomfield College	Sociology	B74	$20,020	$58,000
4	Brandeis University	Sociology	B74	$19,972	$58,000
5	Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College	Sociology	B73	$22,272	$58,000
6	Antioch College	Anthropology	B73	$20,940	$58,000
7	Bates College	Sociology	B73	$21,004	$58,000
8	Brandeis University	Anthropology	B73	$19,972	$58,000
9	Bridgewater State University	Sociology	B73	$22,376	$58,000
10	California State University-Chico	Sociology	B73	$22,024	$58,000

Frequently Asked Questions

On average, yes. STEM majors score 82/100 on our ROI scale vs 66/100 for liberal arts. STEM graduates earn $23,568 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 $73,601 for STEM vs $50,033 for liberal arts, a gap of $23,568. By year five, STEM averages $107,243 vs $67,685 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 $23,675 in debt vs $27,143 for liberal arts. STEM majors actually carry less debt while earning more. The debt-to-earnings ratio is what matters most for financial outcomes.