U.S. News Guide to College Majors

Picking the right college is a big decision. So too is choosing a college major, which often sets students up for a specific career path. College majors can be broad, such as English, or specific, such as petroleum engineering. While not all students go on to work within their major, following a certain track throughout college will offer students skills to pursue various opportunities.

List of College Majors

To help students understand what goes into the college major decision, U.S. News has outlined some key concepts. In this article, you will find the following:

What Is a College Major?

A college major is a structured program of study built around a particular discipline. Curriculum offerings focus on exposing students to the knowledge and skills needed to work in their area of study.

College majors range from the conventional – such as business and education – to more arcane offerings like unmanned aerial systems or wine production. The number of credit hours may vary by major, but students should typically expect to spend more time in their chosen field than any other discipline.

How to Select a Major in College

Choosing a college major can be daunting, which is why students should be well researched before making a decision. Experts advise students to explore out-of-school experiences, consider required classes, look for scholarship opportunities within their chosen discipline, consider future earnings and more.

Ideally, students should also consider whether they enjoy a certain topic, given that it will likely shape everything from their future earnings and work experiences to the company that they keep.

Which Majors Are in High Demand?

Some classic college majors, like business, have held steady over the years. Others have waxed and waned as the economy has evolved, rendering some professions less in demand while opening up opportunities in others. Computer science, for example, is now in high demand, a function of a modern economy thriving on technology.

But hot college majors aren't just in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math – often referred to as the STEM fields. Less STEM-focused areas such as nursing and human resources are also in demand, with many job opportunities for the taking.

What Are the Highest-Paying College Majors?

Majors that lead to the best-paying jobs tend to be in the STEM fields. Engineering, in particular, dominates the list of highest-paying college majors. At the top of the list is computer engineering, which commands a median starting salary of $69,300 for alumni one year after graduation, according to U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data.

On the lower end of the discipline is aerospace, aeronautical and astronautical engineering, which starts at $62,350, per College Scorecard data. Regardless of the subset, engineers are in demand. For more, see a list of the 10 College Majors With the Best Starting Salaries.

What Are the Lowest-Paying College Majors?

Tuition cost may be the same regardless of major, but that isn't always true for the return on investment. Some majors – such as criminal justice, education, social work and others – don't typically command high wages.

A graduate with a degree in social work, for example, can expect a median starting salary of $37,727, according to PayScale data. Despite the significant differences between the lowest- and highest-paid graduates starting out, the good news is that college still tends to pay off in the long run. For example, a worker with a bachelor's degree may earn 84% or more over a lifetime of work than someone with only a high school diploma, according to research from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.

How to Find the Best College for Your Major

If a student has already decided on a major, he or she may want to look at finding a college that excels in that specific discipline. Students can tap into college search tools and online rankings, but there are many other ways to try to find the right fit.

Teachers and high school guidance counselors may have some insight on this subject, but students may also want to reach out to industry professionals, contact college career centers and look at postgraduate job placement and other factors.

How to Manage a Double Major

Sometimes two majors can be better than one. While a double major may require more work in order to earn enough credits to have a degree across two disciplines, it can be lucrative. Experts advise students aiming for a double major to do their research early, map out a plan, take advantage of overlapping classes where possible and understand the commitment required.

According to academic research published in 2016, the most financially rewarding double major is a combination of business and STEM.

Consider a STEM Major

If a student is looking for a job that is in demand and pays well, he or she may want to consider the STEM field. With industry growth predicted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and increasing starting salaries cited by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, STEM offers a strong return on investment and likelihood of finding a job once a student graduates from college. STEM majors stretch across many disciplines, with further subsets splintering off into various career paths.

While a college major can open doors to a career, undergraduate studies may just be level one for some disciplines. Students should be aware of the education level needed to meet their career goals and plan accordingly. As with undergraduate options, U.S. News also ranks the Best Graduate Schools in order to help students plan their next step.