A recent analysis from Bankrate, a publisher and provider of financial product comparison tools, shows three of the five top-earning and most secure four-year college majors are related to the construction industry.

An engineering degree of any kind offers a clear path to steady employment and a solid income. But once engineering specialty stands out. Architectural Engineering --- a discipline focused on the science of buildings --- ranks #1 of Bankrate's latest look at 159 college degrees. Compared to civil engineers who learn to build roads and bridges in addition to buildings, architectural engineering emerged as a distinct major for students who want to focus primiarily on buildings.

Construction services came in as the #2 most valuable major, followed by computer engineering. Electical engineering came in as the highest-paying degree.

For this study, Bankrate looked at the median incomes and unemployment rates of American workers based on the subject of their bachelor's degrees. The higher the income level and the lower the unemployment rate, the better.

Not surprisingly, STEM majors (science, technology, engineering & math) make up everyone of the top 25 degrees in the study, with engineering degrees claiming eight of the top 10 spots and 14 of the top 20 spots.

Here are the Top 20 College Majors, ranked by Bankrate:

1) Architecutural Engineering
2) Construction Services
3) Computer Engineering
4) Areospace Engineering
5) Transportation Services & Technologies
6) Electrical Engineering
7) Materials Engineering & Materials Science
8) Civil Engineering
9) Mechanical Engineering
10) Chemical Engineering
11) Engineering Mechanics, Physics & Science
12) Pharmary, Pharmaceutical Sciences & Administration
13) Industiral Production Technologies
14) Health & Medical Prepatory Programs
15) Electircal Engineering Technology
16) Metallurigcal Engineering
17) Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering
18) Materials Science
19) Miscellaneous Engineering
20) Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering

Source: Bankrate's 2021 ranking of the most and least valuable college majors

Of course, students shouldn't pick their college major based on future income, unemployment rate and the amount of schooling required. STEM degrees aren't for everyone; studnets wlll be their most successful pursuing a field that's interesting to them. 

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To read more about Bankrate's study and a full look at the 159 ranked college degrees, click here.