- Picking a major that will ensure long-term financial
and job security is an ever moving goalpost
that's often hard to nail down.
To gain a better understanding,
it has historically been a valuable resource
for students to look at the current popular college majors
and their forecasted market conditions.
In this video, we'll be looking deep
into the information to provide you an educated overview
of the 10 most popular college majors in the us.
Hey everyone.
This is Andy Hill with "The College Investor
Investing and Personal Finance for Millennials."
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Thanks. Number one, business.
Historically, business majors have been the most popular
in US colleges across the country.
They comprise the highest number of undergraduate degrees
and have for over a decade now.
In 2021, the business sector saw 980,200 job openings
to replace talent and meet growth.
Business majors focus on the foundational practices
and principles that work as a foundation
to ensure companies run efficiently.
The academic field is broad,
offering students a robust curriculum
that focuses on critical thinking skills,
problem solving skills, leadership
and effective communication.
Median manual salary, $76,570.
Job growth is 7%.
Common specializations include accounting,
business administration, construction management,
international business, marketing, real estate,
taxation, insurance, entrepreneurship, and commerce.
Number two, engineering.
With an ever-changing landscape throughout the world
for renewable technologies,
engineers are in historical high demand.
It is projected that between 2021 and 2031,
there will be 91,300 annual jobs added to meet the growth.
The current opening rate in 2022 is 200,900 jobs per year
aimed to replace talent and match expanding technologies.
While the engineering major covers a broad scope
of subject matters,
the core tenets focus on effective project management,
problem solving skills, planning skills,
and graphical communication.
It is a highly versatile major
that can appeal to many industries.
Median annual salary is 79,840 bucks.
The job growth is 4%.
Common specializations include civil engineering,
biochemical engineering, mechatronics, robotics
and automation engineering, metallurgical engineering,
mining and mineral engineering,
naval architecture and marine engineering,
nuclear engineering, ocean engineering,
operations research.
Number three, health professions.
The global demand for healthcare is steadily climbing
and expected to peak in the 2030s.
The US is no exception to this,
seeing year after year increases
to the healthcare workers required.
With a staggering 1.9 million job openings each year,
job security is not a concern for health profession majors.
Healthcare studies will lead students
down a wealth of different specializations
requiring a mixture of both coursework
and practical training.
There's a highly versatile range
of specializations contributing to the major's popularity.
The median annual salary is $75,040.
The job growth is 13%.
The specializations include communication disorders
sciences and services, dentistry,
medical clinical sciences, graduate medical studies,
medical illustration and informatics,
medicine, mental and social health services
and allied professions,
movement and mind body therapies and education,
nursing, ophthalmic and optometric support services
and allied professions, optometry,
osteopathic medicine and osteopathy,
pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences
and administration, and veterinary medicine.
Number four, psychology.
With one of the largest
modern mental health crisises just behind us,
the demand for psychologists has never been higher.
Job openings continue to rise sitting at 181,600 per year.
Despite the fact that pursuing a career
in clinical practice requires a doctorate,
the major continues to rise in popularity with students.
This is in part due to the major's focus
on understanding human behavior,
a skill with a versatile application
in today's modern job market.
The median annual salary $81,040,
job growth is at 6%.
Common specializations include the following.
Psychology, cognitive psychology and psycholinguistics,
comparative psychology, developmental and child psychology,
experimental psychology, personality psychology,
physiological psychology,
psychometrics and quantitative psychology,
psychopharmacology, social psychology.
Number five, social sciences.
Study into social science has historically
been a less popular option, yet over the past decade
the job market has changed significantly.
Social science professionals see high demand
for their skills with 147,900 new job openings in 2021.
Social science coursework is known for its broad range
of studied topics, including sociology,
history and economics.
This provides a more liberal arts styled curriculum,
delving into leadership, communication,
and analytical skills.
Median annual salary of $72,740.
Job growth is 7%.
Specializations include anthropology, archeology,
criminology, demography and population studies,
economics, geography and cartography,
international relations and national security studies,
political science and government, rural sociology,
social sciences, sociology and anthropology,
sociology and urban studies and affairs.
Number six, media and communication.
A media and communication major provides students
with a range of highly marketable skills,
as well as a broad scope for their skills
to provide value for employers.
This major has increased in popularity with students
in the US for three years in a row.
This trend is backed by NCES data that shows
that 115,800 openings for this sector happened in 2021.
The coursework behind this major focuses
on honing such skills as writing, editing,
reading comprehension, marketing, and critical thinking.
There is also a practical focus on public speaking
for many specializations.
Median annual salary of $62,340.
The job growth is around 6%.
And the specializations include journalism
publishing, advertising, health communication,
international and intercultural communication,
organizational communication, political communication,
public relations, image management, sports communication,
technical and scientific communication.
Number seven, biomedical and biological sciences.
Biology and biomedical occupations have seen
a consistent rise in popularity
with a historic rise of 35% between 2010 and 2021.
In 2021, 37,500 job openings were available
for biomedical and biological majors
with 5,700 more openings added each year and rising.
The sharp increase in demand is a reflection
of an ever expanding industry hungry for specialized talent.
Biomedical and biological majors study a range of topics
in depth, including biology, zoology, ecology, and genetics.
Students pursuing this major will be pushed
to specialize heavily in more complex biomedical
and biological fields.
The median annual salary here is $102,270.
Job growth is 15%.
Specializations include biochemistry, biophysics
and molecular biology, biology, biomathematics,
bioinformatics and computational biology,
biotechnology botany and plant biology,
cellular biology and anatomical sciences,
ecology, evolutionary systematics,
population biology, genetics, microbiology,
molecular medicine, neurobiology and neurosciences,
pharmacology and toxicology, physiology,
pathology and related sciences and zoology.
Number eight, computer and information technology.
The insatiable hunger for businesses
for trained IT professionals continues to drive
incredible demand for the new IT talent.
With the technology world on the brink of a new age,
and more businesses solidifying their platforms online,
IT professionals of all disciplines will be required
to meet the expanding market.
Undergraduate students who pursue a computer
and information technology major will study programming,
information technology, data structures,
server system fundamentals, and much more.
This major's unparalleled in its versatility
when it comes to its practical application.
Median salary, $97,430.
The job growth is 15%.
Specializations, computer programming,
artificial intelligence, computer and information sciences,
information technology, data entry, data processing,
information science, network and system administration,
system networking and LAN/WAN management,
web multimedia management, and webmaster.
Number nine, visual and performing arts.
Historically, the steep financial investment required
for a visual and performing arts degree
has seen a steep investment
when contrasted against median earnings.
Despite this, it remains a popular major,
seeing 20,500 openings reported in 2021.
Visual and performing art majors focus on building skills
around creativity, collaboration, visual media,
digital arts, and time management skills.
The core coursework strikes a balance
between theory and practical studio work,
such as design sessions or theater performances.
Median annual salary, $48,220.
Job growth, 2%.
Specializations, fine and studio arts management,
music management, theater and theater arts management,
digital arts, visual and performing arts,
intermedia/multimedia, metal and jewelry arts,
painting, printmaking, sculpture,
art history, criticism and conservation,
art and art studies.
Number 10, education.
Education is one of the foundational pillars
of modern society
and it continues to see a rising demand in the 2020s.
With a staggering 658,200 new jobs projected
to be added to the industry over the next decade,
piling onto the already 929,900 yearly openings
the industry currently demands,
teachers have never been this desirable.
Students who take an education major
will be taught coursework designed to support students,
communicate information clearly,
design and teach unique curricula,
as well as manage classrooms.
Specializations within the major will focus
on unique education needs students may have
as well as many auxiliary roles
that exist in the education industry.
Median annual salary of $57,220.
The job growth is about 7% right now.
Common specializations include the following.
Teaching assistants and aids,
teaching English or French as a second or foreign language,
bilingual, multilingual and multicultural education,
curriculum and instruction,
educational administration and supervision,
educational assessment, evaluation and research,
education and instructional media design,
education, elementary education,
international and comparative education,
social and philosophical foundations of education,
special education, student counseling,
and personal services.
Well, that's our list, everyone.
Are you considering any of these 10 most popular majors?
Which one sounds like it's a fit for you and your situation?
Please let us know in the comments below.
This is Andy Hill from "The College Investor".
We'll see you in the next video.