Most AI-Resistant College Degrees in 2026
52 programs ranked · Updated 2026
Degrees whose career paths have the lowest exposure to AI automation — future-proof your education.
Programs Ranked
52
Avg Earnings
$59,295/yr
Avg DW Score
67/100
#1 Program
Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies
Ferris State University
Most AI-Resistant College Degrees
Click any row for full AI scenario analysis, earnings projections, and career path breakdown.
| # | Program | DW Score | Earnings | AI Exposure | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies
Ferris State University · Big Rapids, MI |
71
72–69 |
$65,331/yr | 13.7x | 11% |
| 2 |
Building/Construction Finishing
Rowan University · Glassboro, NJ |
89
89–86 |
$85,630/yr | 12.6x | 14% |
| 3 |
Building/Construction Finishing
The University of Texas at San Antonio · San Antonio, TX |
90
89–90 |
$71,202/yr | 24.8x | 14% |
| 4 |
Building/Construction Finishing
Utah Valley University · Orem, UT |
92
90–92 |
$74,527/yr | 39.3x | 14% |
| 5 |
Building/Construction Finishing
Pennsylvania College of Technology · Williamsport, PA |
81
81–80 |
$64,231/yr | 11.4x | 14% |
| 6 |
Liberal Arts & General Studies
University of Alabama at Birmingham · Birmingham, AL |
58
61–55 |
$40,968/yr | 13.2x | 0% |
| 7 |
Liberal Arts & General Studies
Athens State University · Athens, AL |
51
51–51 |
$50,903/yr | — | 0% |
| 8 |
Liberal Arts & General Studies
Arizona State University Campus Immersion · Tempe, AZ |
61
64–58 |
$49,147/yr | 12.0x | 0% |
| 9 |
Liberal Arts & General Studies
Northern Arizona University · Flagstaff, AZ |
56
60–53 |
$43,752/yr | 9.9x | 0% |
| 10 |
Liberal Arts & General Studies
University of Arkansas at Monticello · Monticello, AR |
57
62–52 |
$41,530/yr | 11.0x | 0% |
| 11 |
Marine Transportation
California State University Maritime Academy · Vallejo, CA |
74
73–75 |
$87,464/yr | 37.1x | 13% |
| 12 |
Marine Transportation
Maine Maritime Academy · Castine, ME |
71
71–70 |
$82,725/yr | 17.1x | 13% |
| 13 |
Marine Transportation
Massachusetts Maritime Academy · Buzzards Bay, MA |
73
72–73 |
$84,187/yr | 24.6x | 13% |
| 14 |
Marine Transportation
Northwestern Michigan College · Traverse City, MI |
74
73–75 |
$87,281/yr | 61.2x | 13% |
| 15 |
Marine Transportation
SUNY Maritime College · Throggs Neck, NY |
73
72–73 |
$79,797/yr | 28.7x | 13% |
| 16 |
Vehicle Maintenance & Repair
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach · Daytona Beach, FL |
71
71–71 |
$81,436/yr | 4.3x | 14% |
| 17 |
Vehicle Maintenance & Repair
Western Michigan University · Kalamazoo, MI |
70
70–72 |
$47,286/yr | 11.6x | 14% |
| 18 |
Vehicle Maintenance & Repair
SUNY Morrisville · Morrisville, NY |
79
79–77 |
$53,308/yr | 15.5x | 14% |
| 19 |
Vehicle Maintenance & Repair
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide · Daytona Beach, FL |
86
86–84 |
$81,436/yr | 18.2x | 14% |
| 20 |
Dance
Texas State University · San Marcos, TX |
51
50–51 |
$38,967/yr | 10.9x | 24% |
| 21 |
Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point · Stevens Point, WI |
56
57–55 |
$42,297/yr | 13.5x | 16% |
| 22 |
Funeral Service and Mortuary Science
Mid-America College of Funeral Service · Jeffersonville, IN |
55
57–54 |
$56,427/yr | 6.1x | 17% |
| 23 |
Funeral Service and Mortuary Science
Wayne State University · Detroit, MI |
58
60–55 |
$52,829/yr | 8.2x | 17% |
| 24 |
Funeral Service and Mortuary Science
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities · Minneapolis, MN |
60
62–57 |
$60,367/yr | 9.6x | 17% |
| 25 |
Funeral Service and Mortuary Science
Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science · Cincinnati, OH |
47
45–48 |
$44,110/yr | — | 17% |
| 26 |
Funeral Service and Mortuary Science
University of Central Oklahoma · Edmond, OK |
61
61–58 |
$45,804/yr | 13.8x | 17% |
| 27 |
Culinary Arts and Related Services
Southern New Hampshire University · Manchester, NH |
66
66–66 |
$35,959/yr | 5.8x | 20% |
| 28 |
Culinary Arts and Related Services
Culinary Institute of America · Hyde Park, NY |
67
66–66 |
$43,808/yr | 1.9x | 20% |
| 29 |
Agricultural Mechanization
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo · San Luis Obispo, CA |
73
72–72 |
$73,053/yr | 15.5x | 22% |
| 30 |
Agricultural Mechanization
Iowa State University · Ames, IA |
70
69–69 |
$63,321/yr | 16.4x | 22% |
| 31 |
Agricultural Mechanization
Kansas State University · Manhattan, KS |
70
69–68 |
$63,239/yr | 13.4x | 22% |
| 32 |
Agricultural Mechanization
University of Missouri-Columbia · Columbia, MO |
63
62–63 |
$52,522/yr | 12.1x | 22% |
| 33 |
Agricultural Mechanization
University of Nebraska-Lincoln · Lincoln, NE |
70
68–69 |
$59,052/yr | 17.5x | 22% |
| 34 |
Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians
Nicholls State University · Thibodaux, LA |
64
63–65 |
$52,842/yr | 20.9x | 20% |
| 35 |
Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians
Illinois State University · Normal, IL |
54
53–56 |
$46,992/yr | 10.4x | 22% |
| 36 |
Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians
Ferris State University · Big Rapids, MI |
67
65–67 |
$67,764/yr | 15.7x | 22% |
| 37 |
Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians
Excelsior University · Albany, NY |
57
54–58 |
$110,398/yr | — | 22% |
| 38 |
Kinesiology & Exercise Science
Auburn University at Montgomery · Montgomery, AL |
65
62–65 |
$36,579/yr | 13.3x | 25% |
| 39 |
Kinesiology & Exercise Science
Troy University · Troy, AL |
63
61–62 |
$36,256/yr | 11.1x | 25% |
| 40 |
Kinesiology & Exercise Science
California Baptist University · Riverside, CA |
50
46–50 |
$35,328/yr | 2.2x | 25% |
| 41 |
Kinesiology & Exercise Science
Colorado State University-Fort Collins · Fort Collins, CO |
59
56–60 |
$35,326/yr | 9.7x | 25% |
| 42 |
Kinesiology & Exercise Science
Metropolitan State University of Denver · Denver, CO |
67
65–65 |
$41,161/yr | 11.0x | 25% |
| 43 |
Environmental Control Technologies
Iowa State University · Ames, IA |
71
70–70 |
$63,707/yr | 14.2x | 24% |
| 44 |
Environmental Control Technologies
Appalachian State University · Boone, NC |
67
66–66 |
$47,333/yr | 14.7x | 24% |
| 45 |
Environmental Control Technologies
North Carolina State University at Raleigh · Raleigh, NC |
67
65–69 |
$47,936/yr | 20.1x | 24% |
| 46 |
Environmental Control Technologies
The University of Findlay · Findlay, OH |
58
56–59 |
$67,266/yr | 4.9x | 24% |
| 47 |
Environmental Control Technologies
Pennsylvania College of Technology · Williamsport, PA |
64
65–62 |
$65,154/yr | 8.1x | 24% |
| 48 |
Medical Laboratory Science
Auburn University at Montgomery · Montgomery, AL |
74
72–72 |
$61,612/yr | 15.3x | 24% |
| 49 |
Medical Laboratory Science
University of Alaska Anchorage · Anchorage, AK |
80
77–80 |
$81,203/yr | 25.8x | 24% |
| 50 |
Medical Laboratory Science
Grand Canyon University · Phoenix, AZ |
68
68–65 |
$66,736/yr | 9.5x | 24% |
Methodology
Programs are ranked by DegreeWorth Score (0–100), combining graduate earnings, AI automation resilience, job market demand, and tuition ROI. Earnings data is from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034
(employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE.
Last updated 2025.