C3 's- "Feeds I Digg "

Did you graduate with the right major? If money is an issue, you better have majored in engineering.

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NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Knowing history is important, lest you repeat it. And everyone appreciates a film major when discussing directors over dinner.

But when it's time to switch from paying tuition to collecting a paycheck, nothing will lock down a starting salary like these three majors: Engineering, engineering and engineering.

Actually, make that seven engineerings.

Some type of applied science degrees make up seven of the top ten majors that receive the highest starting salary, according to the National Association of Colleges & Employers' (NACE) summer 2005 salary survey.

Chemical engineering was the highest paid major, with an average starting salary of $53,813, followed by computer engineering at $52,464 and electrical engineering at $51,888.

The rest of the list, in descending order, is aerospace engineering, systems engineering, computer science, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, engineering technology and information sciences and systems.

And those salaries are going up too.