High-Paying Careers For People With Notoriously Low-Paying Degrees

College graduates these days face an average debt of $25,000 and a shaky job market.

It may seem like a finance or medical degree is the only good option in this scenario, but we're a little more optimistic.

Even if you have a degree in one of PayScale's lowest-paying college majors, it is possible to find a career that pays surprisingly well. In most cases, these aren't careers that happen over night, and many will require years of experience and working your way up through the ranks. The point is that a low-starting salary alone shouldn't deter you from pursuing a certain degree or career path –– it's what you do with it that counts. 

Note: Each job listed requires a bachelor’s degree. Salaries noted are mid-career estimates. 

Journalism

Journalism graduates barely scrape by to begin with, earning a median salary of $35,600 and typically only reaching $64,700 halfway through their career, according to PayScale.

Here are three journalism jobs that pay more: 

VP, Communications: $139,000

Corporate Communications Director: $103,000 

Public Relations Director: $80,000

Religion

Religion majors certainly aren't in it for the money –– it's the second-lowest earning major out there, starting at $34,100 per year and $58,400 by mid-career, according to PayScale. 

Here are two religion-focused jobs that earn more: 

Executive Director, Non-Profit Organization: $67,800

Senior Pastor: $58,900

Education

Education degree-holders start out making a median salary of  $34,900 and only get bumped up to $55,0000 by mid-career. 

Here are three education jobs that pay more down the road: 

Employee / Human Resources: $75,600

Instructional Designer: $63,000

Executive Director, Non-Profit Organization: $62,600

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