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Minority Students Can Earn Higher Salaries with a STEM Bachelor's Degree
By Catherine Groux
Posted June 27, 2012 12:17 PM
Minority students can earn higher salaries by pursuing a STEM degree.While various studies have shown that students who major in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) typically earn more than their peers, a new report in Research in Higher Education proves that minority students in particular can benefit from earning a STEM degree.
This new study followed more than 1,000 Asian and Pacific Islander, Latino and African American students, all of which were applicants for the Gates Millennium Scholars Program, over the course of nine years. In doing so, researchers found that minority students who majored in STEM subjects tended to earn at least 25% more than their peers who earned degrees in the humanities or education. Additionally, minority students who actually took jobs related to their STEM degrees after graduation earned about 50% more than individuals who studied the humanities or education.
While all minorities tended to see higher salaries with a STEM bachelor's degree, the study shows that Latinos frequently earned the most money. These individuals earned an average of $56,875 per year, compared to an average salary of $47,530 for Asian and Pacific Islanders and $39,365 for African Americans.
"The premiums for majoring in STEM fields are huge," the study's lead author Tatiana Melguizo said in a statement. "We need to educate students that if they get a job in a STEM-related occupation, they have an even higher earning premium. Otherwise, students aren't reaping the economic benefit of all the hard work they went through as undergrads."
