A recent study published in the American Educational Research Journal found that engineering and computer science majors provide the highest returns in lifetime earnings, followed by business, health and math and science majors. Education and humanities and arts majors had the lowest returns of the 10 fields of study considered. "However, there are significant differences across college majors." Overall, the researchers found that the benefits of higher education have held up, even as enrollment has declined and the labor market outcomes for those without a college degree have improved, Zhang said. For workers with a bachelor's degree, education was the lowest-earning field of study, followed by psychology and social work and the arts.

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Persons: Liang Zhang, Zhang Organizations: Georgetown University Center, Education, Workforce, Federal Reserve Bank of New, American Educational Research, NYU Steinhardt School of Culture , Education, Human Development, Finance, Ivy League, Georgetown Center, Center Locations: Federal Reserve Bank of New York