5 High-Paying Degrees for 2023

As a student, it can be overwhelming to think about the future and pinpoint a degree that'll lead to success down the line.

But with high-paying jobs on the rise in 2023, now is the perfect time to examine which educational paths are most likely to land you a lucrative position after graduation.

If you're interested in hiking up your earning potential in the new year, the Tulane School of Professional Advancement (Tulane SoPA) offers award-winning degree programs in some of today's highest-paying fields.

Cybersecurity

From healthcare providers to educational institutions, organizations of all kinds are recognizing the critical importance of cybersecurity in protecting their technology systems and data.

A type of computer science degree, cybersecurity focuses on safeguarding computer systems, networks, and data from unauthorized access, use, modification, or destruction. Students opting for this degree must have a deep knowledge base in computer systems, programming languages, and specialized software tools to successfully identify and ward off potential security vulnerabilities.

When you pursue a degree in this rapidly growing field, you can access exciting cybersecurity careers, such as:

• Cybersecurity Analyst
• Information Security Manager
• Cybercrime Investigator, and
• Network Security Administrator

The average salary for a cybersecurity professional varies depending on the job, location, and experience level, but graduates can generally expect a range of $70,000-$120,000 a year. To increase your earning potential even more, you can take the next step by getting a master's degree in cybersecurity or a graduate certificate in your pathway of choice, such as:

• Cyber Technology Fundamentals
• Cyber Leadership, and
• Cyber Defense

Human Resources

For those looking to spearhead organizational success through human capital management, a human resources degree provides the perfect platform.

Through the work of human resources professionals, organizations attract and retain their top talent, promote positive employee relations, and foster a culture of engagement and productivity. Because they are the glue that holds the organization together, human resources specialists need excellent leadership, negotiation and mediation, and team-building skills.

From managing personnel recruitment and training to analyzing employee benefits packages, successful human resources degree program graduates can look forward to high-level positions in various fields, with salaries reaching as high as $126,000 for leadership positions.

Some of the jobs you can get with your human resources degree include:

• Human Resources Manager
• Human Resources Coordinator
• Talent Acquisition Specialist, and
• Compensation and Benefits Analyst

Information Technology

Many people associate information technology (IT) with the people to call when they face a computer issue. But in a world of rapidly evolving technological advancements, IT goes beyond troubleshooting your computer problems.

This broad field encompasses every computer system and digital device we use daily to access information, whether it's our personal email or our Zoom-based online classes. When you earn an information technology (IT) degree, you'll be at the forefront of this technological wave, learning first-hand how to design, develop, and manage these computer systems, networks, and software.

For success in the field, hard skills like coding and database management are a must, along with softer skills like cross-team collaboration, resourcefulness, and flexibility.

From programming and systems administration to network engineering and even cybersecurity, an information technology degree can open many career opportunities for graduates, such as:

• Software Developer
• Systems and Business Analyst
• Database Administrator, and
• Cloud Infrastructure Engineer

The average salary for an IT professional is $97,000, but this can soar past the $130,000 mark per year, depending on your role and experience. To land a role in the six figures, you can climb the corporate ladder to leadership with a graduate IT management degree that prepares you to oversee an organization's IT operations.

But if committing to a graduate program isn't in your career plan, you still further your experience and reap a higher earning potential by enrolling in a certificate program, like IT strategic planning or technology architecture.

Digital Marketing

Marketing has made the leap to digital, bringing with it a wave of exciting career opportunities to creatives across the globe.

With a digital marketing degree, you'll learn all of the elements of a high-performing advertising campaign — from brainstorming and strategizing to executing and measuring results. This dynamic field encompasses many tactics to master in your studies, including search engine optimization, social media marketing, email marketing, content marketing, and online advertising.

When you graduate with your degree in digital marketing, you choose from a range of high-paying career paths, such as:

• Digital Marketing Manager
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialist
• Social Media Manager, and
• Digital Advertising Manager

Like other fields, the role you choose will determine how much you’re paid. However, if you pursue management, director, or VP-related roles, your earning potential can reach or exceed $100,000 per year.

Data Science & Cloud

Like bread and butter, data science and cloud computing go hand-in-hand. All organizations, large and small, rely on findings from large data sets to inform their decision-making and drive business growth. Cloud computing makes this easier by storing, processing, and analyzing data on remote servers so that businesses can access it from anywhere with an Internet connection.

Aspiring technologists can pursue a data science or IT degree to learn the fundamentals of managing, analyzing, and interpreting complex information, as well as applying cloud computing technologies. For success in the industry, graduates typically have a strong understanding of data analysis, statistics, and programming languages like Python or R.

With a degree in data science and cloud, you can forge a path toward influential roles in the data revolution, such as:

• Data Scientist
• Cloud Solutions Architect
• Data Analyst, and
• Machine Learning Engineer

Although the average salary for these professionals is about $92,000 per year, there is always room to grow your pay with a master's degree or Graduate Certificate in Data Science and Cloud.

Increase Your Earning Potential With Award-winning Programs

2023 is shaping up to be a time for budding career opportunities with highly rewarding pay.

Whether you're looking to tackle cybersecurity threats or design the next cloud-based solution, Tulane SoPA's undergraduate and graduate degree programs can help you unlock your full potential.

All of our programs are taught by leaders in your industry so that you can explore the field long before you step into it.

Request more information today to learn more about your career possibilities with Tulane SoPA.