Duke University mathematics graduates reported the highest median annual earnings at $297,029, followed by Carnegie Mellon computer science graduates at $268,121 and the college’s electrical engineering graduates at $250,168. Harvard ranked highest among the Ivy League, placing fifth with $230,876 in median earnings for statistics grads.
That may all seem unsurprising. But some less prominent universities also ranked among the highest earners. Nursing graduates from San Francisco State University and California State University, East Bay earned roughly $150,000 annually, placing their programs among the top 100 nationwide.
Earnings also varied widely between schools offering the same degree. Computer science graduates from Carnegie Mellon earned more than $150,000 above their counterparts at the University of Maine. However, for mechanical engineering, Carnegie Mellon graduates earned only about $10,000 more than those from the University of Alabama.
One of the biggest surprises was Juilliard, one of the country’s most prestigious and selective performing arts schools. Despite its reputation, music graduates reported median annual earnings of just $32,842, below the $34,808 median for high school graduates nationwide.
For families paying a premium for a prestigious education, the findings raise questions about whether the name on the diploma is always worth the cost, especially as AI changes the skills employers need and what they’re willing to pay for them. The findings also come at a time when the Trump administration is putting limits on the ability to get federal student loans based on earnings potential, while the sticker price for college is soaring.
Is AI making computer science degrees less lucrative?
Computer science graduates have historically commanded some of the highest salaries, but AI’s rapid growth since the launch of ChatGPT in 2022 is raising questions about whether that advantage will last.
Computer science is considered one of the most “AI-exposed” professions, alongside software and information technology. A recent Census Bureau analysis showed that graduates entering these fields experienced a 13% decline in full-quarter earnings relative to other cohorts.
As Fortune reported, a decline of this magnitude is usually associated with a “severe recession,” even though today’s economy has avoided one.
Students appear to be taking notice. According to data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, new enrollment in computer science programs fell 8.4% in spring 2026.
Separate research by Goldman Sachs found that computer science enrollment declined 10% during the 2025-26 academic year. According to its analysis reviewed by Fortune, this was the first academic year in which AI’s influence became visible in students’ choices of majors.
