The other day I heard someone on the radio say they always wanted to be an astronaut – until they realized there was math and science involved.

Most high school kids don’t have a clue what they want to do for a career. But one day your high school student may surprise you – and ask for your opinion. If that day ever comes, here’s some food for thought based on a report from salary-tracker PayScale.com. 

If you want to follow the money, think engineering—and more specifically, petroleum engineering—because petroleum engineering majors are pocketing the biggest paychecks these days. According to PayScale.com  petroleum engineers can earn a starting salary of $93,000, and with five years experience, take home a salary of $131,804. 

Other high paying majors on the list: aerospace engineering and chemical engineering; electrical engineering and nuclear engineering. Notice a trend?  

These things tend to be cyclical. And while petroleum engineering has been a very profitable sector for the last few years, it fluctuates with the price of oil. However, from a broad perspective, there’s no denying: engineering is hot. The next highest-paying majors are applied mathematics, biomedical engineering, physics and computer engineering.

Of course, students should consider more than a paycheck when they choose a major and a career. For students who don’t have a clue, our “Discovery” program can help them make progress and help narrow down their choices.

Ian Welham helps students find the perfect fit college and helps parents pay for it. You can find him at Complete College Planning Solutions, on Facebook and Twitter.