| When making the tough decision about what | | | | more valuable and useful products. |
| degree to pursue at college most people take into | | | | Chemical engineers are employed by a wide range |
| consideration the salary they can command once | | | | of process industries including petroleum refining, |
| they graduate. The latest list of high paying | | | | petrochemical and polymer production, gas |
| degrees has just been released and this year | | | | processing, fertiliser manufacture, metals and |
| sees a change from the normal business, | | | | minerals extraction and refining, lime and cement |
| accounting and finance related degrees which | | | | production, cardboard and paper manufacture, |
| have moved over for degrees leading to jobs in | | | | food processing, sugar refining along with the |
| the lucrative resource industry. Overall it was | | | | production of industrial and fine chemicals. |
| good news as on average, starting salaries have | | | | Chemical engineering graduates commonly |
| increased slightly overall, even with the impact of | | | | specialize in either chemical engineering, |
| the global financial crisis. So what are the top | | | | biosystems engineering or oil and gas. The |
| three highest paying bachelors degrees for 2010? | | | | average graduate starting salary last year was |
| Number 1 - Petroleum Engineering Degree. | | | | reported to be $65,142. |
| Petroleum engineering is now among the most in | | | | Number 3 - Mining & Mineral Engineering Degree |
| demand fields throughout any industry or | | | | Third on the list of highest paying degrees is |
| occupation. Obtaining a degree in Petroleum | | | | mining and mineral engineering. Mining and mineral |
| Engineering can swiftly put you into a rewarding | | | | engineers are involved with the practicalities of |
| and very high paying position. Recent surveys | | | | mining. They look after the development and |
| have reported that it is the number 1 highest | | | | operation of both above ground and underground |
| paying bachelors degree with a starting salary for | | | | mines, enabling the extraction of precious minerals |
| graduates in this field currently at between | | | | and resources from the earth ready for |
| $85,000 and $100,000 per year. | | | | processing or exportation. Mining and mineral |
| The oil and petroleum industry can afford to pay | | | | engineers commonly work with other specialists |
| huge salaries like this because this industry is | | | | including geologists, other earth scientists and |
| probably the largest and most profitable industry | | | | resource economists. |
| on earth. Oil is a resource that is heavily relied on | | | | As with both petroleum engineering and chemical |
| all across the globe, and the massive multinational | | | | engineering graduates generally find work in the |
| companies involved in the industry turn huge | | | | extremely profitable mining and resource industry, |
| profits in the hundreds of billions of dollars. | | | | and as a result the companies employing |
| Number 2 - Chemical Engineering Degree | | | | graduates can afford to pay above average |
| Chemical engineers are also in high demand which | | | | salaries. Mining and mineral engineering graduates |
| is reflected in their salaries. Chemical engineers use | | | | earn an average of $64,552 per year right out of |
| a combination of chemistry, physics and | | | | college and can quickly increase their pay packets |
| mathematics to plan and formulate how to | | | | as they gain experience in the industry. |
| convert various raw materials or chemicals into | | | | |