Highest-Paying and Fastest-Growing STEM Courses for Black and Latinos in STEM

STEM StudentsWe live in a world where, increasingly needs arise that only specialists in science and technology can solve, which is why professionals in STEM careers are in demand by companies all over the world! Their work is crucial to solve environmental, health, technological or economic problems. But… what are these careers? Where can I find the highest paying jobs? These and other frequently asked questions about STEM careers are answered in this article. 

 

Below is the list of the leading 10 STEM courses and universities.

 

1. Petroleum Engineering

Median Salary: $130,850 per year ($62.91 per hour)

Number of Jobs (2021): 22,800

Minimum Educational Requirement: Bachelor’s Degree

Job Growth Rate (2021-2031): 8%

Petroleum engineers develop methods by which oil and gas can be extracted from the earth. The world functions on energy, which is very vital to human activities, thereby making petroleum engineering an important and high-demand course. Petroleum engineers work in offices or at drilling and well sites

Universities in the U.S. that offers Petroleum Engineering.

·       1. University of Texas at Austin

·       2. Stanford University

·       3. Texas A&M University – College Station

·       4. Colorado School of Mines

·       5. University of Oklahoma – Norman

 

2. Computer Engineering

Median Salary: $128,170 per year ($61.62 per hour)

Number of Jobs (2021): 76,900

Minimum Educational Requirement: Bachelor’s Degree

Job Growth Rate (2021-2031): 5%

Computer engineers are responsible for designing, developing and testing computer systems and components. They mostly work in research labs that build and test different computer models. They may also be responsible for updating existing computer hardware or manufacturing new ones. 

Universities in the U.S. that offers Computer Engineering.

1.    Stanford University

2.    University of California – Berkeley

3.    Carnegie Mellon University

4.    Georgia Institute of Technology

5.    University of Michigan – Ann Arbor

 

3. Mathematics And Statisticians

Median Salary: $96,280 per year ($46.29 per hour)

Number of Jobs (2021): 36,100

Minimum Educational Requirement: Master’s Degree

Job Growth Rate (2021-2031): 31%

They are responsible for analyzing data and using standard approaches to solve problems. Their top employers are research companies, development companies and the federal government. They also usually work in teams with engineers, scientists and other professionals.

Universities in the U.S. that offers Mathematics and Statistics

1.    Stanford University

2.    Harvard University

3.    University of Michigan – Ann Arbor

4.    University of California – Berkeley

5.    University of Washington – Seattle

 

4. Software Development

Median Salary: $109,020 per year ($52.41 per hour)

Number of Jobs (2021): 1,622,200

Minimum Educational Requirement: Bachelor’s Degree

Job Growth Rate (2021-2031): 25%

Software developers are responsible for designing computer applications /software. They work in computer system design and related services in manufacturing. They work in offices or teams with other professionals. 

Universities in the U.S. that offers Software Development

1.    Carnegie Mellon University

2.    Stanford University

3.    University of California – Berkeley

4.    Massachusetts Institute of Technology

5.    University of Maryland – College Park

 

5. Aerospace Engineering

Median Salary: $122,270 per year ($58.78 per hour)

Number of Jobs (2021): 58,800

Minimum Educational Requirement: Bachelor’s Degree

Job Growth Rate (2021-2031): 6%

Aerospace engineers are responsible for designing, developing and test-running aircraft, spaceships, satellites and missiles. They often work in an office with like-minded individuals and can spend as much as 40 hours per week. They work on projects relating to national defence too. 

Universities in the U.S. that offers Aerospace Engineering.

1.    Stanford University

2.    Massachusetts Institute of Technology

3.    University of Michigan – Ann Arbor

4.    University of California – Berkeley

5.    Harvard University

 

6. Nuclear Engineering

Median Salary: $120,380 per year ($57.87 per hour)

Number of Jobs (2021):13,900

Minimum Educational Requirement: Bachelor’s Degree

Job Growth Rate (2021-2031): -11%

Nuclear engineers work in office settings or as specified by their employers.  They conduct research and develop projects that address problems relating to the release, control, and use of nuclear energy and disposal. 

Universities in the U.S. that offers Nuclear Engineering.

1.    Massachusetts Institute of Technology

2.    University of Wisconsin – Madison

3.    Princeton University

4.    Pennsylvania State University

5.     University of California – Berkeley

 

7. Actuarial Science

Median Salary: $105,900 per year ($50.91 per hour)

Number of Jobs (2021): 28,300

Minimum Educational Requirement: Bachelor’s Degree

Job Growth Rate (2021-2031): 21%

Actuarial Science involves the use of mathematics, statistics and financial theories to analyze the economic cost of risk and uncertainty. They work in insurance companies. They can also work as consultants.

Universities in the U.S. that offers Actuarial Science.

1.    University of Pennsylvania

2.    Harvard University

3.    University of Chicago

4.    New York University

5.    Stanford University

 

8. Electrical Engineering

Median Salary: $101,780 per year ($48.93 per hour)

Number of Jobs (2021): 303,800

Minimum Educational Requirement: Bachelor’s Degree

Job Growth Rate (2021-2031): 3%

Electrical engineers are responsible for designing, developing and test-running electrical equipment. They mostly work in offices except when they want to examine certain problems or equipment. They work in telecommunications. Manufacturing and even for the federal government. 

Universities in the U.S. that offers Electrical Engineering.

1.    Massachusetts Institute of Technology

2.    Stanford University

3.    University of California – Berkeley

4.    Georgia Institute of Technology

5.    University of Michigan – Ann Arbor

 

9.  Computer Network Architecture

Median Salary: $120,520 per year ($57.94 per hour)

Number of Jobs (2021): 174,800

Minimum Educational Requirement: Bachelor’s Degree

Job Growth Rate (2021-2031): 4%

Computer network architects design, build and test-run data communication networks like local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and Intranets. Some of them work full-time for more than 40 hours a week. 

Universities in the U.S. that offers Computer Network Architecture.

1.    Stanford University

2.    University of California – Berkeley

3.    Georgia Institute of Technology

4.    Massachusetts Institute of Technology

5.    Carnegie Mellon University

 

10. Database Administration

Median Salary: $101,000 per year ($48.56 per hour)

Number of Jobs (2021): 144,500

Minimum Educational Requirement: Bachelor’s Degree

Job Growth Rate (2021-2031): 9%

Database administrators create and organize systems that make the storage of data easier. They can work in firms and provide computer design services or industries that generate a large database. For example, the educational sector, insurance, etc.

Universities in the U.S. that offers Database Administration.

1.    University of Wisconsin – Madison

2.    Stanford University

3.    University of California – Berkeley

4.    University of Washington – Seattle

5.    Massachusetts Institute of Technology

 

Scholarships to help students into STEM disciplines are multiplying, and an online search will throw up hundreds of results. However, not every scholarship is for you, both in terms of eligibility and interest. Some are open to all STEM students, others are for students already in college, and some are exclusively targeted at underrepresented groups like women and minorities. One thing that can help with the filtering process is being clear about the field or industry you want to go into. You can make a long list of prospective scholarships that meet your requirement before shortlisting your priority targets. Make sure to apply to as many scholarships as necessary, including a few outside your industry focus, to improve your chances of success. IOScholarships simplifies the process for you. It matches you with thousands of scholarships based on your talents and skills. This improves your chances of winning the scholarship.

 

If you would like to know more about top STEM careers read the following article

 

Highest-Paying and Fastest-Growing STEM Courses