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Want a high-paying job? Don't pick these college majors

More than 44 million Americans have taken out student loans to help pay their college tuition. Their debt totals more than 1.4 trillion. And the cost of college keeps rising .

One priority, post-degree, is paying down that debt, as most federal loan companies require payments starting only six months after graduation. With private loans, you may even have to start paying while you’re still in school.

But not all college majors lead to jobs that make paying back loans easy, or even possible.

In fact, “the difference in lifetime earnings between the highest-paying college majors and lowest-paying majors is a whopping $3.4 million,” reports the business forecast and personal finance advice website Kiplinger, drawing from a 2015 report from Georgetown University

After it analyzed salary data for 126 majors, Kiplinger found low reported starting and mid-salaries for these 10 fields, which it calls “the worst” for launching you into a lucrative career.

The numbers don’t mean you shouldn’t pursue your dreams, the site adds. But you should do so with your eyes open.

This originally appeared as an article on CNBC.com. All figures in USD.