To find the jobs where the pay goes nowhere, we looked at this year's College Salary Report from PayScale and calculated the difference between starting (less than five years of experience) and mid-career (10 or more years of experience) pay by college major.
Here are the 20 college majors with the smallest percentage of salary growth:
20. Parks and recreation management
Common jobs: Parks and recreation director, recreation supervisor, executive assistant
Starting median pay: $38,200
Mid-career median pay: $51,700
Increase in pay: $13,500 / 35%
19. Nutrition and dietetics
Common jobs: Dietitian, nutritionist, certified diabetes educator
Starting median pay: $44,000
Mid-career median pay: $59,100
Increase in pay: $15,100 / 34%
18. Horticulture
Common jobs: Horticulturist, landscape designer
Starting median pay: $37,600
Mid-career median pay: $50,500
Increase in pay: $12,900 / 34%
17. Child development
Common jobs: Preschool teacher (excluding special education), daycare teacher, director of preschool
Starting median pay: $32,000
Mid-career median pay: $42,500
Increase in pay: $10,500 / 33%
16. Medical laboratory technology
Common jobs: Laboratory technologist, medical technologist
Starting median pay: $48,500
Mid-career median pay: $64,000
Increase in pay: $15,500 / 32%
15. Computer and network administration
Common jobs: IT network administrator, systems administrator, IT network engineer
Starting median pay: $50,800
Mid-career median pay: $66,900
Increase in pay: $16,100 / 32%
14. Human services
Common jobs: Medical case manager, social worker, administrative assistant
Starting median pay: $34,000
Mid-career median pay: $44,600
Increase in pay: $10,600 / 31%
13. Information systems security
Common jobs: Information security manager, analyst, auditor, risk assessor
Starting median pay: $57,100
Mid-career median pay: $74,200
Increase in pay: $17,100 / 30%
12. Child and family studies
Common jobs: Preschool teacher, child life specialist, daycare teacher
Starting median pay: $31,400
Mid-career median pay: $40,700
Increase in pay: $9,300 / 30%
11. Nursing
Common jobs: Registered nurse, registered emergency nurse, registered operating-room nurse
Starting median pay: $57,500
Mid-career median pay: $74,100
Increase in pay: $16,600 / 29%
10. Clinical laboratory science
Common jobs: Laboratory technologist, laboratory scientist, laboratory supervisor
Starting median pay: $48,800
Mid-career median pay: $62,700
Increase in pay: $13,900 / 28%
9. Medical laboratory science
Common jobs: Laboratory technologist, laboratory scientist, laboratory supervisor
Starting median pay: $47,900
Mid-career median pay: $61,500
Increase in pay: $13,600 / 28%
8. Practical nursing
Common jobs: Licensed practical nurse, licensed vocational nurse
Starting median pay: $45,300
Mid-career median pay: $58,100
Increase in pay: $12,800 28%
7. Hotel, restaurant, and institutional management
Common jobs: Hotel manager, food and beverage director, event planner
Starting median pay: $50,500
Mid-career median pay: $62,700
Increase in pay: $12,200 / 24%
6. Diagnostic medical sonography
Common jobs: Ultrasound technologist, echocardiographer, vascular technologist
Starting median pay: $57,700
Mid-career median pay: $71,100
Increase in pay: $13,400 / 23%
5. Nuclear medicine technology
Common jobs: Nuclear medicine technologist, research technologist
Starting median pay: $55,200
Mid-career median pay: $67,900
Increase in pay: $12,700 / 23%
4. Early childhood education
Common jobs: Daycare teacher, preschool teacher, elementary school teacher
Starting median pay: $30,700
Mid-career median pay: $37,500
Increase in pay: $6,800 / 22%
3. Physician assistant studies
Common job: Physician assistant
Starting median pay: $85,200
Mid-career median pay: $103,000
Increase in pay: $17,800 / 21%
2. Early childhood and elementary education
Common jobs: Elementary school teacher, preschool teacher, daycare teacher
Starting median pay: $34,800
Mid-career median pay: $41,900
Increase in pay: $7,100 / 20%
1. Dental hygiene
Common jobs: Dental hygienist, dental-office manager, dental-hygiene instructor
Starting median pay: $65,400
Mid-career median pay: $74,900
Increase in pay: $9,500 / 15%
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