Science students are highly respected in all parts of Nigeria because science as a concept plays a major role in modern-day development. Science students undergo a complex learning process that sets them apart from other departments in Nigerian high schools. Being a science student gives you better opportunities for international jobs, scholarships, grants, and well-paid careers after you finish school.
Just like other students, science students often encounter the challenge of choosing a specific university program. This happens because there are many science programs available. For instance, Nigerian students can explore numerous options in fields like medicine, engineering, information technology, technology, agriculture, and more.
There are also some factors to consider when making such decisions, they include personal interest, aspiration, available opportunities for specific programs, career prospects, and earning potential associated with each program.
This publication will explain the top 10 best science courses to study in Nigerian universities with high-paying employment opportunities after graduation.
What are the Best Science Courses To Study In Nigeria
Medicine & Surgery
- Average Salary: ₦200,000
Practicing as a Medical Doctor is one of the most decorated professions in Nigeria and a highly rated course for science students in Nigeria. To become a qualified medical doctor, science students must study medicine and surgery in any accredited Nigerian university where they will learn how to provide adequate health care to people.
The course program is extremely profitable in Nigeria, and students invest years in their education and research. Graduates of this program can pursue careers as specialists, surgeons, pediatricians, gynecologists, and more in various medical facilities.
Pharmacy
- Average Salary: ₦130,000
Pharmacy programs are offered in every Nigerian university. Pharmacists play a crucial role alongside medical doctors. While doctors can prescribe medication, pharmacists are responsible for dispensing these prescribed drugs to individuals with specific health conditions. In some instances, pharmacists may only provide medication upon receiving a prescription from a doctor.
Pharmacy is a prestigious field, and graduates in this discipline usually have no trouble securing employment due to the high demand for their expertise. Pharmacy professionals are not limited to job opportunities solely in pharmaceutical companies; they can also explore roles in healthcare settings like hospitals and medical laboratories, among others.
Computer Science
- Average Salary: ₦160,000
The world is adapting to various technological developments, and there is without a doubt that business start-ups often require the use of a technology expert who will help supervise or manage their business.
Graduates of computer science qualify to be called tech experts since their fields of study cut across various industries such as web design and software development, programming, and many more.
Professionals in the tech industry have the flexibility to combine part-time work with their regular jobs. They can even work remotely, allowing them to fulfill their roles without being physically present in the office, except in cases where their physical presence is necessary.
Petroleum Engineering
- Average Salary: ₦290,000
Studying a course like petroleum engineering can change your life forever for the better. Science students who go for this course of study will not only find it interesting but will be able to find jobs in top-rated companies such as Chevron, NNPC, Capital Oil, etc.
Entry-level salaries in the companies mentioned generally range from ₦250,000 to ₦500,000. For science students who have difficulty choosing a specific course of study, petroleum engineering is a viable option. This field offers high compensation and opportunities for employment in both private and public organizations.
Petroleum engineering employment opportunities are split across exploration, preservation, buying, and selling of oil and gas resources in Nigeria and overseas.
Aerospace Engineering
- Average Salary: ₦485,000
Aerospace engineering is another course designed for science students with the intent of finding a high-paying job. This course syllabus structure is complex, and the course program is generally hard to come by in most Nigerian Universities thereby making it highly prestigious.
Aerospace engineers are entrusted with the responsibility of repair and maintenance of aircraft, as well as the assembly and disassembly of aircraft. In addition, aerospace engineers are qualified to apply their knowledge to spaceship development and repair, missile development, and testing various types of aircraft.
Chemical Engineering
- Average Salary: ₦180,000
Simply put, chemical engineering is the study and application of different chemical products. Graduates in chemical engineering are specialized in exploring, handling, and maintaining chemical materials.
Chemical engineers can find jobs in the oil and gas industry, a medical research center, etc. A qualified chemical engineer will be able to find jobs in Nigeria, and overseas which is even more rewarding.
Data Science
- Average Salary: ₦255,000
This course program has always been overlooked by science students who are determined to get a good job after graduation. Graduates in data science are in high demand and can find jobs in any industry.
Students who want to study data science must however have a strong foundation in mathematics, and statistics because the course program involves the use of calculation and the collection, interpretation, and analysis of statistical data.
Graduates are most likely to find employment opportunities in government-based institutions, tech startups, health organizations, and so on.
Nursing
- Average Salary: ₦130,000
Nursing course programs can be found in various tertiary institutions of learning. Although the course program is predominated by female science students in Nigeria, male students will also find the course lucrative in Nigeria.
The nursing course program is in high demand in the country. Individuals with a nursing degree in Nigeria have a great chance of obtaining a work visa to the country of their preference. Nursing graduates can practice their profession in healthcare facilities or opt for freelance work.
Dentistry
- Average Salary: ₦240,000
Dentistry is another medical profession for science students in Nigeria that involves the care, and study of the human tooth. Graduates of dentistry course programs are equipped with skills on how to care for the human tooth, repair or remove damaged tooths, teeth whitening, and much more. Dentists also provide helpful tips on how to prevent tooth-related problems.
The course program is only available to science students in Nigeria, and they can find the course in most accredited Universities across the nation. However, most students are ignorant of the remuneration benefits that come with being a dentist, and they instead settle for courses such as medicine and surgery, engineering, computer science, etc.
Radiography
- Average Salary: ₦150,000
Radiography is one of the most underrated courses available for science students in Nigeria. 65% of the students studying Radiography in a Nigerian university selected it as their 2nd choice or were forced to study the course due to a low entrance score.
The course is however very lucrative and high in demand in hospitals, and laboratories since it involves the process of using a tech device to examine or diagnose human internal organs.
Doctors also partner with radiographers in order to diagnose people with internal bleeding and check for any irregularities in the human body, or any other ailments.
Veterinary Medicine
- Average Salary: ₦165,000
Veterinary medicine is a course that is associated with the study of animal health, and behavior. The course is best selected by people who love animals in general, but graduates of veterinary medicine may choose to work with a specific animal after graduation.
The veterinary medicine program is less competitive when compared to other medical courses, and the earning potential may not be as high as other medical practitioners. Nevertheless, graduates in veterinary medicine can enjoy the flexibility of working with their preferred animals.
You can choose to work in a veterinary hospital, practice your profession independently, or work with pets and domestic animals in your local community.
Electrical Engineering
- Average Salary: ₦150,000
The importance of electrical engineers can not be underestimated because the world is ever-evolving and most technological inventions used to carry out our daily activities require the use of electricity. Electrical engineering students learn how to develop, repair, and maintain different electrical appliances, improve power generation, etc.
Electrical engineers are very important, and they help contribute their quota to technology advancement. Because of the flexibility of the course, electrical engineering graduates can fit into any business industry, and the salary structure is usually high.
Civil Engineering
- Average Salary: ₦180,000
Civil engineers possess the creative and technical skills necessary to contribute to various infrastructure projects you encounter daily. Their services are crucial for rural and urban development, as they are involved in building roads, bridges, and large commercial structures.
A graduate in civil engineering can pursue roles as a construction supervisor, or project manager overseeing various construction activities, and actively participate in construction projects.
What Are The Best Paying Science Courses To Study In Nigeria?
Finding the best-paying jobs after graduation depends on your program. The highest paying job in Nigeria can however be linked to petroleum engineering because crude oil import and export is one of the nation’s major sources of income.
In addition, science students can find other science courses such as civil engineering, medicine and surgery, nursing, data science, and computer science, very lucrative.
What Are The Subject Combinations For Science Courses In Nigeria?
- English
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Economics
- Geography
- Further Mathematics
How Do I Choose The Best Science Course In Nigeria?
There are a good number of science courses available at Nigerian universities, and choosing the best science course to study at the university may be confusing. Before Selecting a science course, consider your area of interest and the career prospects related to your interest.
Can Science Students In Nigeria Find Employment Opportunities Abroad?
Yes, science students are often in high demand abroad. Many science students have received scholarships and work visas due to their expertise in various science programs.
Courses that are high in demand overseas are;
- Medicine and Surgery
- Nursing
- Computer science
- Radiography
- Computer Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Aerospace engineering, etc.
Do note that at least 80% of science courses in Nigeria are highly regarded and very rewarding abroad in terms of wages or salaries.
Conclusion
Scientific developments are on the increase in various parts of the world, and the application of science-based programs cuts across every industry. Science students in Nigeria often get confused with deciding what to study at the University, and this article has examined some science courses with high remuneration opportunities such as petroleum engineering, medicine and surgery, civil engineering, etc.
However, the aforementioned course programs will require a rigorous amount of study sessions, and practical or research work, but it will be worth your time and effort at the end of your programme. Young scientists in Nigeria are also encouraged to select courses they are passionate about.
For example, if the idea of saving lives interests you, you should consider a course program in medicine Surgery, or nursing, and if the idea of developing and maintaining diverse technological equipment sounds fun, you should consider taking engineering courses.
In the end, science students possess quantifiable knowledge that is beneficial to world development. This explains why they don’t usually have trouble finding employment opportunities, and a high-paying job within their environment or abroad.
