Natural Sciences
Natural Sciences graduates earn an average annual wage of $114,838, making it one of the higher-paying degree fields. With 32,580 professionals in the field earning competitive wages, this degree offers strong career prospects.
Key Statistics
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Natural Sciences and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$5,850 Median In-State Public
$36,930 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Natural Sciences majors are, on average, $5,850 for in-state public colleges, and $36,930 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Natural Sciences programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
2,648 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Natural Sciences from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Natural Sciences.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | AZ | 64,398 |
| 2 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | OH | 44,617 |
| 3 | University of Arizona | AZ | 40,769 |
| 4 | American Public University System | WV | 38,976 |
| 5 | California State University-Fullerton | CA | 36,956 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Natural Sciences programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Haskell Indian Nations University | KS | $600 |
| 2 | Southeast New Mexico College | NM | $1,176 |
| 3 | Coastline Community College | CA | $1,180 |
| 4 | Pasadena City College | CA | $1,180 |
| 5 | Golden West College | CA | $1,196 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Natural Sciences programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | College of the Mainland | TX | $1,975 |
| 2 | Oglala Lakota College | SD | $2,065 |
| 3 | Golden West College | CA | $2,861 |
| 4 | Haskell Indian Nations University | KS | $3,031 |
| 5 | Pasadena City College | CA | $3,123 |
Schools with the lowest net price (after financial aid) for Natural Sciences programs.
Graduation Rates
59.36% Median Graduation Rate (150% of normal time)
57.43% Average Graduation Rate
144 Institutions Reporting
43.88% - 71.16% Interquartile Range
Graduation/completion rates for Natural Sciences programs across institutions.
Employment
Information on the businesses and industries that employ Natural Sciences graduates and on wages and locations for those in the field.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$114,838 Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Natural Sciences majors is $114,838.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Natural Sciences majors.
Occupations by Share
32,580 2023 Workforce
The number of Natural Sciences graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Natural Sciences by share of the total number of graduates.
Return on Investment & Value
Financial analysis of Natural Sciences degree including debt, earnings, and return on investment metrics.
Financial Value Analysis
ROI data is not available for this degree program.
Financial value comparison for Natural Sciences degree.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Natural Sciences in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Natural Sciences.
Age distribution for Natural Sciences degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
Gender distribution data is not available for this degree program.
Gender distribution of Natural Sciences degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
Race and ethnicity distribution data is not available for this degree program.
Racial and ethnic distribution of Natural Sciences degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Natural Sciences are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Natural Sciences.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Natural Sciences field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Natural Sciences majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Natural Sciences majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Natural Sciences majors.
About
Natural Sciences
In 2023, 2,648 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Natural Sciences.
CIP Code
00.3018 - Natural Sciences
Insights and Analysis
High Earning Potential: Natural Sciences graduates earn an average annual wage of $114,838, placing them among the top earners in the workforce. This strong earning potential reflects both the demand for skills in this field and the value employers place on this degree.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.