A college degree is supposed to open doors, but not every path leads to the same paycheck. Some of the lowest-paying majors in the US come from fields built around caring for people rather than turning a profit.
Think teachers, social workers, counselors, and artists. These careers often depend on government budgets, nonprofit funding, or tuition-driven school systems. This limits how much a graduate can earn, no matter how skilled they become.
This gallery looks at 15 majors with the lowest mid-career median wages per annum, explaining what students learn, where they end up working, and why the pay lags behind so many other degrees. Click through to learn more.