Your Future in STEM: What can you earn?

If you’ve heard that STEM jobs pay well, the short answer is — it’s true! The long answer? Salaries in STEM careers can vary greatly across industries and fields. But for the most part, STEM graduates earn much higher wages than their non-STEM counterparts. In 2023, the median annual wage for STEM occupations was $101,650, compared to $46,680 for non-STEM occupations.

While some STEM graduates can earn three figures straight out of college, that isn’t the case for everyone. What you can earn depends on numerous factors, including your field, your level of education, and where you live. The good news? Mid-career STEM salaries are high, ranging anywhere from $75,000 to well over $200,000.

To get a better sense of potential earnings as a STEM graduate, let's explore the average incomes of 10 different STEM roles, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

2023 Median Annual Wage of STEM Occupations

• Computer Network Architects – $130,000
• Information Security Analysts – $120,000
• Actuaries – $120,000
• Chemical Engineers – $112,000
• Mechanical Engineers – $100,000
• Geoscientists – $93,000
• Hydrologists – $89,000
• Chemists – $85,000
• Microbiologists – $85,000
• Environmental Scientists – $79,000
• Soil and Plant Scientists – $68,000

As you can see, there's a notable range in earnings across this small subset of jobs. However, factors like demand and skill specialization also influence what certain industries and fields pay.

Based on this list, salaries in environmental and life sciences are generally on the lower end, while computer science, math, and engineering-related jobs are on the higher end. To see if this trend holds, let’s look at this list of the highest-paying STEM jobs from Indeed.

Highest Paying STEM Jobs

• Network Architect – $129,566
• Network Security Engineer – $111,653
• Software Engineer – $108,896
• Computer Scientist – $107,614
• Clinical Informaticist – $94,835
• Nuclear Engineer – $93,838
• Chemical Engineer – $93,265
• Materials Engineer – $92,439

Tech, computers, and engineering pay over $90,000 annually— more than 1.5 times the national average. This gap highlights the strong demand for skilled professionals in these areas, where innovation and technology constantly evolve. As you consider different STEM degrees and career paths, remember that the field you choose can drastically impact your earning potential.

Where you live will also influence your STEM earnings. In general, big cities pay significantly more compared to smaller areas. 

Average STEM Salaries by City

Highest:

• San Jose, CA – $174,610
• San Francisco, CA – $159,850
• Seattle, WA – $134,200
• Washington DC – $129,130
• New York, NY – $125,520

Lowest:

• McAllen, TX – $64,680
• Hattiesburg, MS – $64,460
• Sebring, FL – $64,080
• Jefferson City, MO – $62,580
• Tallahassee, FL – $61,450

It’s no surprise that big cities, especially those with major tech hubs like Silicon Valley, pay the most. While the earning potential is definitely higher, so is the cost of living — expenses like rent and car insurance can really eat into your net income. If the lower range of STEM salaries feels discouraging, remember they’re still higher than the average non-STEM salary. Plus, when you factor in the cost of living, a smaller salary in the right place can stretch much further than you might think.

If you're still curious about what you can earn in the STEM field, check out organizations like Robert Half. They make it easy to find average salaries for everything from AI and Machine Learning to IT, Cybersecurity, and beyond. You can even filter by location, so you can get a sense of what people are making in different cities across the U.S.

Overall, it’s clear that STEM fields pay well. However, as with any career, a bachelor’s degree doesn’t automatically guarantee a high salary. Some industries are more lucrative, and job location has an influence, too. But if STEM is your passion, pursuing a career in STEM will set you up for steady growth, job security, and plenty of opportunities to level up your salary as you gain experience in your field.

Want more tips and insights? Check out our full Guide to Your Future In STEM here.