Career Ready

5 high-paying degrees you may not know about (until now)

Want a six-figure career after graduation? Consider these 5 high-paying degrees that aren’t often in the spotlight. From aviation management to actuarial science (don’t worry; there’s more info below), these programs at Bowling Green State University offer the best of both worlds: exceptional career opportunities in growing industries and attractive salaries.

  1. Aviation management - $121,090
  2. Actuary - $120,000
  3. Construction manager- $104,900
  4. Mechanical and manufacturing engineer - $99,500
  5. Speech pathologist - $89,000

1. Aviation management and operations

Average salary: $121,090

From cargo and logistics operations to crew scheduling specialists and safety, there are a variety of career paths that exist under the umbrella of aviation management and operations.

The BGSU program offers an interdisciplinary approach to management and technology systems. BGSU is one of only a few universities in the country with an airport on its campus, offering hands-on training and networking opportunities with aviation professionals through site visits and events. The school’s aviation program was ranked 4th in the nation by Flying Magazine (2022).

BGSU Aviation

2. Actuarial science

Average salary: $120,000

First things first: What exactly is an actuary, anyway? Good question, and according to Douglas J. Bujakowski, Ph.D., associate professor of actuarial mathematics at BGSU, one that is often asked.

“Actuarial science is a dynamic major that is often overlooked,” he says. “It incorporates math, probability, statistics, finance, and risk management, pulling those fields together to forecast uncertainty and risk, and the financial impact of those factors.”

Requiring critical thinking, good communication skills and math proficiency, actuaries apply their skills in business settings such as insurance, technology, government or finance. The BGSU degree prepares students for three key professional exams and has an international business fraternity that provides networking opportunities with key industry professionals.

3. Construction management

Average salary: $104,900

Since construction is such a hands-on industry, those who are considering the field may not consider all the other background and leadership roles that are involved in planning, organizing, or overseeing both residential and commercial projects. Career paths include field engineers, sustainability consultants, schedulers, inspectors, facility managers and cost estimators.

Construction management combines good leadership and communication skills with problem-solving and organizational skills – not to mention an interest in and knowledge of construction methods and industry standards. Working at a co-op during college – BGSU offers one of only three accredited programs in the country – offers students hands-on training that can directly lead to careers. Indeed, 100% of BGSU construction management students are employed or in graduate school within six months of earning their degree.

arch-schliesser

4. Mechanical and manufacturing engineering

Average salary: $99,500

Combining two closely related forms of engineering, a degree in mechanical and manufacturing engineering is more creative than it may sound. “The degree prepares people for a variety of dynamic career paths, from designing and developing the parts, processes, and systems of our world; to revolutionizing the machines used in healthcare or space; to discovering more productive and safer solutions,” says MD Sarder, Ph.D., director of the BGSU School of Engineering.

Career paths include manufacturing or mechanical engineers, product designers, process engineers, plant managers, biomedical engineers and quality engineers. The field is in such demand that BGSU recently reimagined the degree program to meet area workforce needs. They also offer one of only a dozen accredited co-op programs in the country, with over 3,000 employer connections.

BGSU mechanical and manufacturing engineering

5. Communication disorders

Average salary: $89,000

Designed to prepare students for careers as speech-language pathologists, audiologists or language and learning scientists, the degree is one of many in-demand allied health careers – professions in healthcare that aren’t medicine or nursing.

After earning a degree, students will have a strong foundation in human communication science, to either begin an allied health career practice or to enter a graduate program. BGSU has an active chapter of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association, which hosts professional development sessions, welcomes guest speakers and holds social and fundraising events.

*Salary information is from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Updated: 03/07/2025 10:24AM