i knew my horticulture degree was worthless. DAMN those advisors

Architecture must be #10, just off the list. Entry level today is probably mid-30's nationally and median/mid-career is tops $60k average. Sure you can do better at large firms, but averaged out it's not a road to riches for us - as we all know.

Now cross reference the earning power of the degree with the years and expense of the education and you're looking at a real loser for Architects. At least most of those majors only take 4 years of undergrad and that's it. Architecture is a 5 year degree minimum, and many are longer.

Most interesting is how they found some Interior Designer that works for Ralph Lauren and is earning a decent salary. I'm sure there are Architect's working for Wal-Mart raking in decent six figure salaries too, doesn't mean it's a dream job...or what 99.9% of us would consider Architecture.

So much for banking on that minor in horticulture. At least i'll have an awesome lawn.

They left out music degrees. I have one of those too, in addition to the architecture degree.

I'm actually a little surprised that interior design is on the list. All the interior designers I know make way more money than architects for (seemingly) less work.

And I agree with aquapura. Architecture has to be #10.

There's no way architecture is #10. There are so many other "degrees" out there that could give art or athletic training a run for their money...I can name 15 from people I went to school with

History, political science, sociology, psychology, criminology, exercise fitness, music, journalism, philosophy, women's studies, anthropology, exploratory science, classics, english and finally, fire science.

Music...performance

Actually, history and Liberal Studies/Interdisciplinary Studies are two of the highest paid degrees.

Now, pay for people with jobs in those actual fields may not be stellar... but those who hold degrees in those subjects actually make a decent buck.

at a symposium this spring, Jeffrey Kipnis responded to a question about the future of our profession (in the U.S.) by saying that maybe our education is going they way of many of the ones mentioned here (humanities) --- that is, that people going into architecture will know that legitimate practice is ultra competitive in its highest/purest form, that most design gigs are low paying generally, with a low chance of making a career of it for most at a livable wage, and that it will be the domain of those who can afford to hang out in it (independent of their skill/production) and those who are exceptionally talented and/or passionate, but that most who study it will assume they need to make their living some other way, and that while many may not make a career of it, the educational programs will still be valid as a fundamental form of training for those going into other fields, ie, law, business, engineering & sciences, social sciences, b/c the curriculum does teach how to think about open-ended challenges and how to produce visualizations

The poll is based on the premise that you actually have a job, which lends a slightly different interpretation to that bit of "news."

As an interior designer too I have to say that it pays much better than architecture. I get 20% of the budget to design the space/house/office/etc. and 20% of the furnishings they purchase through me plus 10% if they want me to oversee the construction aspect.

I think most architects make like 10% of the project usually maybe plus 10% for oversight if required?? Depends on the person/firm I guess.

But overall, I make a lot more than most architects do - my M.Arch is for my love of architecture and so I can call myself an "architect" but my BFA in Interior Design seems to be much more valuable.