College is supposed to be your ticket to success, right? Get a degree, land a good job, start building a life. But for a lot of people, that dream comes bundled with a side of lifelong debt that’s way harder to shake than your roommate’s weird sleep schedule. Some majors come with especially steep price tags—and unfortunately, the salaries don’t always keep up.
Whether it’s years of extra schooling, sky-high tuition, or a job market that’s a little too “creative,” these 12 popular college majors have one thing in common: they’ll leave your bank account gasping for air long after graduation. Let’s break down the ones most likely to haunt your loan statements for years to come.
1. Veterinary Medicine
Turning that childhood pet-doctor dream into reality means signing up for a lifetime of “who left that bone in the lobby?”—and five-figure monthly loan payments. You might think vets get paid like doctors, but according to the AVMA, the average vet school graduate owes about $147,000—and that’s including the few lucky ones who scrounged up scholarships. If you exclude debt-averse students, the average debt soars to nearly $180K.
Post-graduation salaries cap out around $90K for many specialties, so that debt-to-income ratio is a slap in the face. You’ll love animals, but your bank account won’t. You’ll be juggling refinancing apps and justifying a side gig walking dogs—ironic, considering you spent eight years studying larger mammals.
2. Medicine
You know those white-coat TikToks where newly minted doctors beam about saving lives? Cute, but did anyone tell you about the six-figure price tag on that “save lives” certification? According to Education Data Initiative, the average medical school grad walks out owing roughly $200,000—before interest. That’s like buying a Tesla every single year of med school and financing it at 7% APR. You might earn a six-figure salary later, but those loans don’t play nice: they accrue interest during residency when your paycheck looks more like “entry-level.”
And brace yourself for the timeline: med school (4 years), residency (3–7 years), maybe fellowship (1–3 years)—all while the debt clock ticks. By the time you start making real money, you’re so deep in loans that even your scrubs feel overpriced. Sure, you’ll be a healer, but you’ll also be a debt zombie—moaning about interest rates and deferment options at every dinner party.
3. Law
“Objection!”—your bank account screams, as soon as you sign your law school promissory note. You might have dreamed of courtroom drama à la Suits, but the reality is more “deskside sobbing over bar exam fees.” As per a breakdown by SoFi, law graduates often carry over $150,000 in student loans. Even “prestigious” schools don’t come cheap—elite private programs can push that number north of $200K.
Then comes the job hunt, where you learn that BigLaw salaries are exclusive and benefits packages are, too. If you land in public interest or government, you’ll be repaid in—guess what—camaraderie and free coffee, not cash. That six-figure debt follows you into every clerkship, solo practice, and bar-study binge. At least you’ll finally have the credentials to argue about repayment plans with a real judge.
4. Dentistry
Brace yourself for an oral invasion of debt: dental school grads clock in around $312,700 in loans, per the latest report from the ADEA. That’s basically the cost of a beachfront villa—if beachfront villas were made of enamel and braces. Four years of dental school will have you gritting your teeth over tuition, and then there’s the cost of labs, equipment, licensure exams… the list never ends.
Yes, general dentists can pull in a clean six-figure salary, but you’ll be spending your early career years moonlighting as a hygienist—or selling whitening strips on the side—to chip away at that mountain of debt. And don’t even get me started on the interest: your loans will grow faster than plaque on neglected molars.
5. Architecture
Dreaming of designing sleek skyscrapers? Fun fact: according to a survey by the American Institute of Architecture Students, architecture grads leave school with an average of $40,000 in debt—and many rack up much more if they tack on a master’s. Undergrad programs can be cheaper, but the real cost comes from grad school, software licenses, model-making supplies, and, yes, copious amounts of ramen.
Once you graduate, entry-level salaries hover around $50K–$60K, which sounds fine until you factor in loan payments, city rent (because design studios are always downtown), and the reality that your meticulously crafted portfolio might not land you that dream firm gig right away. You’ll be moonlighting on freelance projects—or selling your roommate’s extra carved façade models on eBay—to stay afloat.
6. Business Administration
An undergrad in Business Administration might sound like the golden ticket to corporate glory, but guess what? Average borrowings for B-school grads hover around $30,000 to $50,000, depending on whether you add an MBA later. You’ll spend four years learning buzzwords—“synergy,” “leverage,” “pivot”—only to discover that entry-level analyst pay isn’t exactly pizzazz-worthy.
Post-grad, you might jump into consulting or finance with flashy sign-on bonuses, but once those vanish, you’re left with a mountain of unsubsidized loans. You’ll be evaluating spreadsheets by day and Googling “should I refinance federal loans?” by night. Eventually you’ll hit a senior role where the pay matches the jargon, but until then, you’re basically an Excel mercenary grinding away at debt interest.
7. Education/Teaching
Majoring in Education sets you on a noble path: molding young minds and inspiring passion for fractions. But newsflash—teacher salaries average in the high-$40Ks to low-$50Ks, while student debt sits around $35,000 to $45,000 for many graduates. Suddenly, your dream of motivational posters and read-aloud sessions translates to budget scraps and side gigs tutoring for extra cash.
You’ll love the kids, but your bank account will stage a revolt every time a loan bill hits. Think coffee-can piggy banks, PTA bake sales (for your own benefit), and relentless “teach better” podcasts while you hustle weekend tutoring to chip away at unpaid interest. The debt load doesn’t disappear with summer break; in fact, that’s when you have to make your biggest payments.
8. Fine Arts
If you majored in Fine Arts, congratulations—you’re a creative genius whose average student debt clocks in around $30,000. Too bad the average starting salary for a full-time artist is roughly $35,000. Suddenly, that sculpting studio is a shrine to unpaid loans.
You’ll spend your early career hustling gallery shows, freelance gigs, and “exposure”-only commissions, all while juggling part-time barista shifts to keep up with loan payments. And let’s be real—exposure doesn’t pay the rent. So every time someone says “You can’t put a price on art,” your landlord will disagree.
9. Psychology
A Psychology degree sounds like the perfect pre-grad toolkit—decode human behavior, flex your empathy muscles, feel like a wizard at parties. But the average bachelor’s Psych grad owes around $28,000, and adding a master’s for counseling can push that over $50,000. Your potential income? Licensed counselors often start around $45,000–$50,000.
You’ll be in grad school deciphering Freud in one hand and checking your loan balance in the other. Then, you’ll segue into a two-year supervised practice where your income inches along, leaving your debt balance to compound like a psychological experiment gone wrong.
10. Film & Television Production
Chasing that Spielberg dream means paying for cutting-edge cameras, editing software, student crew stipends—oh, and film school tuition that can exceed $100,000. Yet entry-level gigs—production assistant, grip, runner—might pay minimum wage. Your student debt could easily top $60,000 before you net your first assistant director credit.
Expect long hours on set, location shoots in freeze-your-toes weather, and living off PB&J while you’re still chasing that Netflix series. At least you’ll have killer behind-the-scenes Instagram stories to show for it.
11. Culinary Arts
Dream of “Top Chef” glory? Culinary school often costs $20,000–$40,000 and takes two years—just to get you entry-level chef pay of around $30,000. That debt will shadow you through every back-of-house shift, prep table scrape, and “room for improvement” critique.
You’ll love the smell of garlic at 6AM, but your wallet will wail every time that student loan due date rolls around. Side hustle as a private caterer? Sure—if you have the bandwidth after 16-hour days. That soufflé won’t pay for itself.
12. Social Work
Social Work majors often require a Master of Social Work (MSW) to land decent roles, and a two-year MSW program averages $50,000–$70,000 in loans. Starting salaries for clinical social workers hover in the mid-$40Ks, making your debt-to-income ratio a real tear-jerker.
Yes, you’ll be the hero for families in crisis, but you’ll also be the person with multiple loan servicers on speed dial. Your financial self-care will involve risk-averse budgeting, grant-writing side projects, and maybe—just maybe—a prayer for loan forgiveness under one of those public service programs.
This article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. Consult a financial professional before making investment or other financial decisions. The author and publisher make no warranties of any kind.
