Pharmacy, biology, and education among worst-paying college majors for Gen Z

Gen Z workers flock to 'AI-proof' industries like healthcare and education, but some of those jobs pay less than $50K after graduation

Published on Mar. 6, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A new Federal Reserve Bank of New York report analyzing 2024 U.S. census data found that some college majors touted as 'AI-proof', like pharmacy, biology, and education, are resulting in rock-bottom salaries for recent Gen Z graduates. Post-grad pharmacy majors aged 22 to 27 earned just $40,000, the lowest median income of all college concentrations. Other low-paying majors for Gen Z include theology and religion ($41,600), social services ($43,000), performing arts ($44,000), and liberal arts ($45,000). Despite potential job security, careers in healthcare and education are not necessarily paying well, with general education ($45,000) and elementary education ($45,000) also among the worst-paid majors after graduation.

Why it matters

While healthcare and education have been heralded as 'AI-proof' and recession-resistant industries, the data shows that some of the most popular career paths for young workers are not translating to high salaries. This raises questions about the value proposition of certain college degrees and whether the job security benefits outweigh the low pay, especially as Gen Z grapples with high inflation and a potential economic downturn.

The details

The report found that post-grad pharmacy majors aged 22 to 27 earned just $40,000, the lowest median income of all college concentrations. Other low-paying majors included theology and religion ($41,600), social services ($43,000), performing arts ($44,000), and liberal arts ($45,000). Even biology majors, a STEM pathway positioned to be safe from AI disruption, only made $45,000 a year. The education sector, touted for its job security, also had some of the worst-paid majors, with general education ($45,000) and elementary education ($45,000) ranking among the bottom.

  • The Federal Reserve Bank of New York report analyzed 2024 U.S. census data.

The players

Federal Reserve Bank of New York

The regional Federal Reserve bank that conducted the analysis of 2024 U.S. census data on college graduate salaries.

Eli Lilly

The pharmaceutical company whose CEO, David Ricks, commented that AI is not yet capable of curing complex diseases like cancer.

Teach for America (TFA)

An education non-profit that experienced a 43% surge in incoming corps members (full-time teachers) over the past three years, driven by young workers seeking job security.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“If you just ask them to solve biology or chemistry questions, they're not particularly good at it. They're trained on the human language, not on the language of chemistry, physics, and biology.”

— David Ricks, CEO, Eli Lilly (Plain English podcast)

“Responding to the opportunity for purpose and responsibility at a time where many entry jobs feel uncertain or disconnected from impact.”

— Whitney Petersmeyer, Chief Growth and Program Officer, Teach for America (The Guardian)

The takeaway

This data highlights the disconnect between the perceived job security of certain 'AI-proof' industries like healthcare and education, and the actual low salaries being offered to recent college graduates in those fields. As Gen Z navigates an uncertain economic landscape, they may need to carefully weigh the tradeoffs between job stability and earning potential when choosing a college major and career path.