From a survey of more than a hundred college degrees, PayScale.com listed some of the lowest paying fields. Most of these jobs are inevitably stressful, like Social Work, Athletic Training, and Recreation and Leisure, but the compensation doesn’t really measure up.
The same is true with those career paths we thought were more financially rewarding. Interior Design, for example, is not always glamorous. Decorating living rooms, designing stage sets, or even putting store displays require long hours, but often for little pay. And there are those fields that just pay low. But despite everything, there are people who choose to be in these fields anyways. They just simply love what they do.
Social Work
Median starting pay: $31,800
Median mid-career pay: $44,900
Athletic Training
Median starting pay: $32,800
Median mid-career pay: $45,700
Recreation and Leisure
Median starting pay: $33,300
Median mid-career pay: $53,200
Art
Median starting pay: $33,500
Median mid-career pay: $54,800
Interior Design
Median starting pay: $34,400
Median mid-career pay: $56,600
Religious Studies
Median starting pay: $34,700
Median mid-career pay: $54,400
Horticulture
Median starting pay: $35,000
Median mid-career pay: $50,800
Education
Median starting pay: $35,100
Median mid-career pay: $ 54,900
Culinary Arts
Median starting pay: $35,900
Median mid-career pay: $50,600
Source: CNN
