Every year, the National Association of Colleges and Employers' list of the highest-paid college majors are dominated by a select few fields.
This year, 7 of the top 10 highest-paid majors are in engineering alone, with computer science, management information systems and finance majors rounding out the list.
But fortunately for students who aren't interested in these industries, those aren't the only lucrative degrees out there.
These commonly overlooked college degrees not only provide new grads with enviable salaries but they also include generous compensation packages, the ability to scale the corporate ladder and, in some cases, the opportunity to freelance or work from home.
Though they don't all bring in mega-salaries, these eight college degrees do lead to jobs that provide serious bucks for their student loan dollar.
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Game design: $75,065
Designing for the console, computer and mobile worlds may look like fun and games, but the work (and salary) is nothing to laugh at. According to the 2012 salary survey in the March 2013 issues of Game Developer Magazine, the average salary for game designers is $75,065 per year. Programmers, game producers and audio professionals on average rake in $92,151, $84,127 and $81,543, respectively -- though individual pay can vary dramatically.
Game design degrees incorporate courses in computer science, multimedia production, project management, quality assurance testing, game engines and business. Degree programs may lean toward the artistic or technical sides of the industry, but the most successful job candidates will have both, says Andrew Greenberg, president of the Georgia Game Developers Association, a video game trade group.
"Those who can really distinguish themselves by work they've done beyond their schoolwork -- games they've made on their own or with a small team -- are the ones who succeed to a higher degree," he says.
The market also values self-starters, those with a diverse range of skills and job candidates who make industry connections through attending conferences such as the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco or E3 in Las Vegas, Greenberg adds.
Technical writing: $65,500
Everyone knows computer scientists, architects, engineers and systems designers usually fare financially well, but so do those who help those workers explain what their products do and how to use them. Gifted with the ability to break down complex concepts to reach an audience who's not as well-versed in the field, technical writers must have excellent communication skills in addition to a thorough knowledge of the industry they're writing about, says Nicky Bleiel, president of the Society for Technical Communication, or STC.
"Technical communicators are employed by and can be an asset to all kinds of companies, from Fortune 500 companies on down," she says. "It's also a very viable path to starting your own business."
Technical communication degrees offered through schools such as Carnegie Mellon University and Northeastern University require a mix of mathematics, science and communication courses, but certificates and two-year degrees are also available. On top of a degree, you'll also need industry connections, Bleiel says, which you can gain through internships, networking and STC's mentoring program. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, technical writers rake in a median salary of $65,500, with the highest 10 percent earning more than $100,000.
Soil conservation: $58,740
Money doesn't grow on trees, but for these workers, it may be found in the dirt. Dedicated to keeping soils healthy, nutrient-rich and safe from erosion, soil conservationists help farmers and government entities retain soil nutrients and water-holding capacity.
Soil conservationists "study everything from the physics of soils, the chemistry of soils, the biology of soils, the organisms and microorganisms that live in soils, how soils appear in the landscape, and how they develop," says Nicholas Comerford, director of the University of Florida's North Florida Research and Education Center and former president of the Soil Science Society of America. They may also work in areas such as waste management, soil mapping or degraded land reclamation.
Though many soil conservation jobs are available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, they're also found through public health organizations and environmental consulting firms, Comerford says. Breaking into the field requires a bachelor's degree in soil conservation or soil science, though some employers require additional certification through SSSA.
BLS reports the median soil scientist salary is $58,740, with the top 10 percent of workers earning nearly $97,000.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider