Resource Guide
What degree should I get?
Choosing a college major can be intimidating. It’s a decision that will greatly influence your academic experience and post-collegiate life as well. That’s why being well-informed before you declare a major is so important.
When deciding what degree to pursue, there are many factors to consider, including what your interests are and what kind of career you want. This guide will break down some of the major considerations you should explore when asking the question, “What degree should I get?”
One of the main factors to consider when deciding on a college major is perhaps the most basic: What are you interested in? The major you choose will affect the courses you take, the network you build, and very likely the jobs you apply for after college. Ideally, the degree you pursue should be in a subject you have a good deal of interest in, whether that’s nursing, IT, or finance.
The more appreciation you have for the subject matter, the more engaged you’ll be in your classes and your entire college experience. That usually translates to better grades and better relationships with other people in your field of study.
Explore your interests
Perhaps you have many interests and can’t decide which one would make for the best degree. That’s OK. Take some general education courses to pinpoint what truly interests you. Consult your professors, advisors, and other students. Look into getting an internship in a field you’re curious about. Exploring your interests can help you identify which major is the best fit.
When do you have to declare?
The deadline to declare a major varies from school to school, but most don’t require you to declare until sophomore year, and some allow you to wait until your junior year. This means you’ve got time to explore your interests and figure out what degree you should get. However, if you’re interested in a major that requires a lot of courses, or courses that are limited to students in that major, declaring early is generally better.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) makes employment projections for nearly 800 different occupations. Of those, almost half require some sort of college degree, whether it’s at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral level.
● Nearly 100 occupations require education beyond a high school diploma but less than a bachelor’s degree
● A bachelor’s degree is typically required for 169 occupations
● A master’s degree is generally required for 36 occupations, while an additional 63 typically require a doctoral or professional degree
A college degree generally translates to more diverse career opportunities in fields with lower unemployment rates and higher earnings. According to BLS data, workers with a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral/professional degree earn on average anywhere from $400 to $1,000 more per week than those with an associate degree or lower level of education.
Whatever degree you earn, it will likely have a significant impact on the kind of jobs you pursue after graduating, so it’s critical to examine your career goals.
Get career advice
While seeking input from friends and family can be helpful, one of the best ways to choose your career path is to speak with professionals in the industry — or industries — you’re interested in. Advice received from people with experience in a given field can be invaluable when choosing a major.
Explore different career paths online
A number of resources are available online to help you explore different careers and areas of study. As such, they can help you decide what degree you should get.
The BLS is a valuable tool if you want to learn more about different careers. Its Occupational Outlook Handbook and Field of Degree tool both provide information that links specific college majors with careers. Each degree page contains data regarding employment, salary, and job outlook. The BLS also provides detailed data on hundreds of different occupations, including projections on employment growth, as well as breakdowns of the education and experience required for each occupation.
Pearson Pathways can also aid in your search, with informative blog articles and an array of tools to help you narrow down your degree and career interests, such as:
● A recommendation engine that analyzes your career goals and interests and presents relevant options
● A student resources section that contains career profiles, degree guides, and other information
● A personalized user profile that saves your recommendations, favorite programs, and specific application resources all in one place
While employment information can help influence your degree decision, you shouldn’t base your choice on a single industry’s job outlook. Many graduates leverage skills learned in one major and apply them to an entirely different industry.
Another consideration you should factor in when deciding what degree you should get is whether further education is needed to achieve your career goals. An undergraduate degree is just the beginning of a long educational journey for aspiring doctors or lawyers, for example; a graduate degree — as well as perhaps professional certifications or credentials — is necessary to practice law or medicine.
Career paths that require additional education also require a greater financial investment. If you’re looking to avoid significant student loan debt, you may want to explore an online degree or accelerated degree program.
Employment outlook for occupations by degree
Out of the roughly 170 occupations that typically require a bachelor’s degree, the BLS projects the following fields will experience the most growth over the next several years:
● Business
● Community and social service
● Engineering and architecture
● Finance
● Health care and science
● Information technology
● Management
● Sports, communication, and design
● Teaching
Among graduate-level occupations — those typically requiring a master’s or doctoral/professional degree — the following fields are projected to have the most openings:
● Community and social service
● Law, education, and library science
● Medicine, dentistry, and nursing
● Other areas of health care
● Postsecondary teaching
● Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and social science
As you ponder what degree you should get, remember that you have plenty of options and an abundance of resources to help you choose. Examining some of the more popular degree choices may help you identify the one that’s right for you.
It’s important to keep in mind, however, that you can change your major. As you progress through college and take different courses, you may develop new interests — ones that you may be able to parlay into a future career. You can change your major at any time, but the sooner you do it, the smoother the transition will be.
Ideally, your chosen degree should complement your interests and skills with a promising career path.
STEM
Degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math are very popular, due in part to healthy job prospects and salaries in these fields. However, STEM degrees often require additional education and a good deal of technical and analytical skills. If those aren’t your strongest suits, you may want to explore another major.
Business
Careers in fields such as accounting and finance can be lucrative and typically don’t require a graduate degree. According to the BLS, the median salary for accountants is just shy of $74,000, while financial analysts and financial advisors each earn median salaries well above $80,000.
Humanities and social sciences
Though not generally associated with high-paying jobs, a degree in the humanities and social sciences — such as English, philosophy, or sociology — can help you hone critical thinking and communication skills that are valuable in a number of different occupations. These degrees can also provide the foundation for a graduate degree and a stepping-stone to a more profitable career.
Deciding what degree you should get can seem overwhelming. By exploring your interests and career goals, and using the many resources at your disposal, you can make choosing a degree a far less daunting decision. Whichever educational path you choose, Pearson Pathways can help you get there.
