Strategic Selection: A Comprehensive Analysis for Determining the Optimal College Major

Introduction

The selection of a college major represents one of the most consequential decisions in an individual’s life, shaping not only their academic journey but also their future career trajectory, financial well-being, and personal fulfillment.

The query “What is the best college major?” is therefore not a request for a simple answer, but for a comprehensive, multi-faceted analysis to navigate this complex choice.

The concept of “best” is not a singular, universal truth; it is a subjective ideal that varies based on an individual’s priorities, values, and goals.

This report deconstructs the notion of the “best” major by providing a robust, data-driven framework for strategic decision-making.

This analysis synthesizes extensive data from academic institutions, government labor statistics, private sector industry analysis, and global economic forums to offer a multi-dimensional perspective.

The report is structured around four core analytical pillars, each designed to illuminate a critical facet of a major’s value:

1. Personal Alignment: This pillar examines the crucial congruence between a field of study and an individual’s intrinsic interests, inherent strengths, and core values. It explores the procedural aspects of self-discovery and exploration that form the foundation of a sound decision.
2. Economic Value: This pillar provides a rigorous, quantitative assessment of a major’s financial return. The analysis extends beyond simple salary rankings to include early-career versus mid-career earnings, underemployment rates, and the long-term return on investment (ROI).
3. Human Fulfillment: Serving as a vital counterweight to purely economic metrics, this pillar delves into the qualitative returns of a college major. It presents data on job satisfaction, the percentage of graduates who find their work meaningful, and rates of major-related regret.
4. Future Viability: This forward-looking pillar assesses the long-term resilience of the skills and knowledge conferred by a major against the backdrop of a labor market undergoing profound transformation due to technological disruption, particularly automation and artificial intelligence (AI).

The central thesis of this report is that the optimal college major is not a static choice discovered on a list, but a dynamic portfolio of knowledge, skills, and experiences.

It is achieved through a deliberate process of informed exploration and a commitment to building a versatile, future-proof skill set that strategically aligns personal passion with market realities.

Section 1: The Decision-Making Framework: A Personal and Procedural Guide

The process of selecting a major is as significant as the final choice itself.

Research into student development and academic advising reveals that a structured, exploratory approach is paramount for aligning a student’s academic path with their personal and professional aspirations.

This section deconstructs the decision-making process into a series of actionable steps, establishing that how a student chooses is a powerful predictor of their ultimate success and satisfaction.

1.1 The Foundational Step: Introspection and Self-Assessment

The most effective and critical starting point for choosing a major is a thorough process of self-reflection.¹

This internal audit aims to identify an individual’s genuine interests, passions, strengths, weaknesses, and core values.²

This alignment is not merely a sentimental consideration; it is a crucial factor in maintaining motivation, ensuring deep engagement with coursework, and ultimately preventing academic and professional burnout.²

Studies consistently show that students tend to perform better academically when they are able to focus on subjects that genuinely interest them.⁵

A systematic approach to this introspection involves several components.

First, prospective students should create a list of subjects or activities they enjoy, both inside and outside of the classroom.³

Reflecting on past experiences, academic history, and extracurriculars can highlight areas of natural talent and sustained curiosity.¹

It is useful to make note of which subjects were most stimulating and where academic excellence came most naturally.²

Equally important is considering personality traits.

Questions to consider include: Do I prefer interacting with people or working independently? Do I thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment or a structured, predictable one? Answering these questions can help guide a student toward a field of study and a subsequent career environment that fits their innate disposition.²

To aid in this process, many university career centers offer formal assessment tools, such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator or the Strong Interest Inventory.⁴

These quizzes can help identify potential areas of interest that align with personality and suggest career paths that may not have been previously considered.¹

However, it is important to approach the results of these assessments “with a grain of salt,” using them as a guide for exploration rather than an authoritative directive.¹

1.2 The Exploratory Phase: External Research and Experiential Learning

Once an initial set of interests has been identified through introspection, the next crucial phase is to test these interests against the external world through rigorous research and hands-on experience.

This phase is about validating or invalidating initial hypotheses about what a major and its related careers truly entail.

The first step in this external exploration is information gathering.

Students should delve into the websites of colleges they are considering to research the specific requirements, curriculum, and course offerings for majors that pique their interest.¹

Reviewing the syllabi for both introductory and advanced seminars can provide a realistic preview of the academic rigor and subject matter involved.⁹

Online tools such as “What Can I Do With This Major?” can help connect academic fields to concrete career paths.⁸

Furthermore, exploring job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed and searching for a potential major can provide a real-time snapshot of the current job market, including available roles, required qualifications, and potential employers.²

This simple exercise can reveal job possibilities that a student may have never heard of, providing a clearer picture of where a degree can lead.⁴

A second, and arguably more critical, component of this phase is human-centered research.

Speaking directly with people involved in a field of interest provides invaluable “ground truth” that a website cannot replicate.

Students should proactively schedule meetings with academic advisors, who can offer personalized advice and resources; professors in departments of interest, who can provide an insider’s perspective on the field; and current students or alumni, who can share their firsthand experiences with the coursework and career outcomes.¹

Conducting informational interviews with professionals working in a desired career can also illuminate the day-to-day realities of the job and the path they took to get there.³

The most powerful form of exploration, however, is direct, experiential learning.

There is no substitute for testing an interest in a real-world context.

This can be achieved through a variety of avenues, including taking introductory courses in multiple fields ³, attending exploratory workshops offered by universities ⁴, securing internships ¹, volunteering at relevant non-profits ⁴, obtaining a part-time job ⁵, or joining student clubs and professional organizations.¹

This active, hands-on approach is the ultimate test of whether a potential major is a good fit, allowing a student to move from abstract interest to concrete understanding.¹¹

1.3 The Strategic Advantage of Being “Undecided”

Contrary to the pressure often felt by high school students to have their entire future mapped out, entering college with an “undecided,” “undeclared,” or “exploratory” status is not a sign of weakness or indecision.

Rather, it is a strategically advantageous position that allows for the intentional and unhurried exploration necessary to make a well-informed final decision.¹²

This approach is remarkably common.

Data suggests that nearly 50% of students apply to college as undecided, and “Undecided” is frequently the most popular declared major for incoming first-year students at many institutions.⁴

This prevalence reflects a developmental reality: most 18-year-olds have not had sufficient exposure to the vast array of academic and professional fields to make a definitive, lifelong commitment.¹⁰

The benefits of starting as an undecided student are numerous.

It significantly reduces the stress and pressure of making a premature commitment, which can lead to anxiety and poor choices.¹³

It grants students the time and flexibility to use their first few semesters to explore a wide range of subjects through their general education requirements.¹²

This exploration not only helps in discovering a passion but also helps in fulfilling core curriculum credits that are required regardless of the final major choice.¹⁵

This prevents students from taking unnecessary, specialized courses that may not be transferable if they later decide to switch majors, thus saving time and money.¹⁵

Furthermore, being undecided allows students to build a diverse and versatile skill set by taking classes across various disciplines.¹⁵

It can also be academically advantageous, as students can focus on foundational courses where they are likely to perform well, potentially boosting their GPA before they tackle the more rigorous, specialized coursework of a declared major.¹⁵

Recognizing these benefits, many colleges have developed robust support systems for exploratory students, including specialized academic advisors, dedicated programs, and even “meta majors” that group related fields of study to help guide a student’s exploration in a structured Way.¹¹

1.4 The Reality of Changing Majors: A Feature, Not a Bug

The notion that a student’s initial choice of major is binding is a pervasive myth.

The reality is that changing majors is a normal, common, and often healthy part of the college experience, reflecting a student’s intellectual and personal growth as they gain a more refined understanding of their goals and interests.¹⁹

The frequency of this phenomenon is well-documented.

A wide range of studies indicates that a substantial percentage of students—with estimates varying from 33% to as high as 80%—change their major at least once during their undergraduate career.⁴

This data serves to normalize the experience, refuting the negative stigma often associated with “indecisiveness” or “waffling.” Universities understand this developmental process and have established procedures to accommodate it.

Most schools require students to officially declare a major by the end of their sophomore year, providing ample time for the exploratory phase.⁴

However, there is a practical trade-off to consider.

The primary risk associated with changing majors, particularly late in one’s academic career (during the junior or senior year), is the potential need to complete additional coursework to meet the requirements of the new major.

This can extend the time to graduation beyond the traditional four years and, consequently, increase the overall cost of the degree.⁵

This risk underscores the importance of engaging in a deliberate and thorough exploratory process during the first two years of college to minimize the likelihood of late-stage changes.

Ultimately, it is crucial to reframe the act of changing majors.

It should not be viewed as a failure or a setback, but rather as an indicator of “growth” and a “turning point that leads to greater clarity, motivation, and success”.⁸

Forcing oneself to persist in a major that is a poor fit is far more detrimental in the long run, often leading to disengagement, poor performance, and career dissatisfaction.²²

The process of choosing a major is not about making the “perfect” choice on day one; it is about engaging in a thoughtful process that allows for correction, refinement, and alignment with one’s evolving self.

The quality of the final decision is a direct product of the quality of this exploratory process.

Section 2: The Economic Ledger: Analyzing Financial Outcomes and Return on Investment

While personal alignment is the foundation of choosing a major, the economic implications of this decision are a critical component of a comprehensive analysis.

A college degree is a significant investment of time and money, and understanding its potential financial return is essential for strategic planning.⁴

This section provides a data-driven analysis of the economic value of different college majors, moving beyond simplistic salary lists to offer a nuanced view of short-term versus long-term earnings, the crucial distinction between employment and underemployment, and the overall return on investment.

2.1 The Financial Landscape: Starting vs. Mid-Career Salaries

A major’s financial value cannot be accurately judged by starting salary alone.

A more complete picture emerges when examining the entire earnings trajectory, particularly the significant growth that occurs by mid-career (defined as ages 35-45).²³

Fields within Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and business consistently dominate the top of salary rankings at all career stages.

Majors such as Computer Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and Finance are perennial leaders in both early-career and mid-career earnings.²⁴

Data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows that recent graduates (ages 22-27) in fields like Computer Engineering ($80,000), Chemical Engineering ($79,000), and Computer Science ($78,000) command the highest initial salaries.²⁵

This advantage often magnifies by mid-career.

A 2015 Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) report found that Petroleum Engineering majors had the highest median mid-career earnings at $136,000, with other engineering disciplines also showing robust salaries.²⁸

More recent data confirms this trend, with mid-career median salaries for Computer Engineering majors reaching $122,000 and Aerospace Engineering majors reaching $125,000.²³

Fields like Computer Science ($115,000), Finance ($110,000), and Economics ($110,000) also demonstrate exceptional earning potential at this career stage.²³

However, a critical nuance emerges when analyzing the salary growth of humanities and social science majors.

While these fields typically have lower starting salaries—for example, Journalism at $50,000 and Political Science at $54,000—many experience dramatic percentage growth by mid-career, significantly narrowing the pay gap with some technical fields.²³

Political Science majors, for instance, see their median salary rise to $90,000 by mid-career, on par with Chemistry majors and surpassing Accounting majors.²³

This powerful long-term growth suggests that the critical thinking, communication, and analytical skills honed in these disciplines become increasingly valuable as professionals advance into leadership and management roles where technical proficiency alone is insufficient.

In fact, data from the National Association of Colleges and Employers shows that the top 25% of humanities majors ultimately earn more than the average business major.²⁵

This “tortoise and the hare” dynamic reveals that a major’s long-term financial viability cannot be judged by its starting position alone.

Table 1: Top 25 Highest-Paying Bachelor’s Majors by Early and Mid-Career Salaries

Rank	Major	Median Early-Career Salary (Ages 22-27)	Median Mid-Career Salary (Ages 35-45)	Mid-Career Salary Growth
1	Computer Engineering	$80,000	$122,000	52.5%
2	Chemical Engineering	$79,000	$118,000	49.4%
3	Computer Science	$80,000	$115,000	43.8%
4	Aerospace Engineering	$74,000	$125,000	68.9%
5	Electrical Engineering	$72,000	$118,000	63.9%
6	Mechanical Engineering	$70,000	$116,000	65.7%
7	Industrial Engineering	$71,000	$105,000	47.9%
8	Finance	$70,000	$110,000	57.1%
9	Economics	$70,000	$110,000	57.1%
10	Civil Engineering	$65,000	$103,000	58.5%
11	Business Analytics	$70,000	$100,000	42.9%
12	Mathematics	$65,000	$100,000	53.8%
13	Physics	$70,000	$100,000	42.9%
14	Information Systems & Management	$65,000	$100,000	53.8%
15	Pharmacy	$64,000	$113,000	76.6%
16	Miscellaneous Physical Sciences	$58,000	$99,000	70.7%
17	Accounting	$60,000	$88,000	46.7%
18	Political Science	$54,000	$90,000	66.7%
19	Chemistry	$50,000	$90,000	80.0%
20	Nursing	$65,000	$84,000	29.2%
21	International Affairs	$60,000	$100,000	66.7%
22	Journalism	$50,000	$85,000	70.0%
23	Communications	$52,000	$85,000	63.5%
24	Biology	$47,000	$80,000	70.2%
25	History	$45,000	$80,000	77.8%
Data synthesized from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Payscale, and the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.23 Salary figures are median values and have been rounded. Growth percentages are calculated based on the provided median salaries.

2.2 Beyond Salary: The Critical Metrics of Underemployment and Unemployment

A high potential salary is rendered meaningless if a graduate is unable to secure a job that utilizes their degree.

Therefore, a complete economic analysis must include the crucial metrics of unemployment (the percentage of graduates in the labor force who are jobless) and underemployment (the percentage of graduates working in jobs that do not typically require a bachelor’s degree).

These figures provide a much clearer indication of a major’s practical value and job security.

Analysis of this data reveals a significant disconnect between majors perceived as lucrative and those offering the highest probability of securing a relevant job.

Some fields with high earning potential can also exhibit surprisingly high rates of unemployment or underemployment, particularly for recent graduates.

For example, while Computer Engineering is a top-paying major, graduates have reported an unemployment rate of 8%, higher than that of most liberal arts majors.²³

More recent data indicates that the unemployment rate for recent computer science graduates stands at 6.1%, a figure attributed to a combination of tech industry layoffs and the automation of entry-level coding tasks.³⁰

Conversely, majors with more modest starting salaries can offer exceptional job security.

Nursing graduates, for example, have one of the lowest underemployment rates at just 9.7%.²³

This indicates that the vast majority of nursing majors secure jobs that fully utilize their specialized skills.

Similarly, Elementary Education majors, despite having one of the lowest starting salaries, also have a very low underemployment rate of 16.1%.²³

This contrast highlights that “high salary” and “high job security” are two distinct variables that must be weighed separately.

A student prioritizing stability and a direct path to a relevant career might find Nursing to be a more optimal choice than Computer Science, despite the latter’s higher peak earning potential.

The long-term consequences of underemployment are severe.

Research from the Burning Glass Institute and the Strada Institute for the Future of Work found that a decade after graduation, 45% of college graduates are still underemployed in jobs that do not require their degree.³¹

This has a lasting negative impact on career progression and lifetime earning potential, making the initial job match a critical factor in a major’s overall R.I.

2.3 Calculating the True ROI: Factoring in Cost, Debt, and Graduate Studies

The true return on investment of a college major is a complex calculation that extends beyond salary and employment rates.

It must also account for the total cost of the degree program, the amount of student loan debt incurred, and the potential necessity of pursuing a graduate degree to unlock career advancement and higher earnings.²⁵

For many fields, a bachelor’s degree is only the first step.

A graduate degree—whether a master’s, doctorate, or professional degree—is often required for licensure, specialization, and access to the highest-paying roles.⁹

The wage premium conferred by a graduate degree, however, varies significantly by undergraduate major.

A Georgetown CEW study found that this premium is highest for those who majored in Business (an additional $32,000 in median annual wages) and Physical Sciences ($27,000), while it is lowest for those who majored in Education ($15,000).²⁸

Certain fields, such as Biology, Biochemistry, Physics, and Chemistry, have a particularly high percentage of graduates who go on to earn advanced degrees, indicating that a bachelor’s in these fields is often a preparatory step rather than a terminal one.²⁹

Therefore, a prospective student must weigh the cost of additional schooling against the potential salary increase.

A high-cost degree in a field with a lower-paying career trajectory can result in a diminished or even negative ROI, especially when significant student loan debt is factored in.¹

Furthermore, it is important to consider alternative educational pathways.

High-paying careers are not exclusively the domain of four-year degrees.

Associate’s degrees in high-demand technical and healthcare fields can provide an exceptional return on investment.

For example, an associate’s degree in Air Traffic Control can lead to a median salary of $137,380, while one in Nuclear Technology can command $101,740.³²

These two-year programs offer a pathway to lucrative careers with a significantly lower initial financial and time commitment, making them a powerful and often overlooked option.

Section 3: The Fulfillment Matrix: Quantifying Satisfaction, Meaning, and Regret

A purely economic analysis of college majors, while essential, is incomplete.

It fails to capture the human element of work—the aspects that contribute to a fulfilling life and a satisfying career.

This section provides a critical counter-narrative by examining the qualitative returns of a college education, focusing on three key metrics: job satisfaction, perceived meaningfulness of work, and rates of major-related regret.

The data reveals that a major’s ultimate “value” is a composite of both financial reward and human happiness, and that these two factors are often not correlated.

3.1 The Pursuit of Happiness: Job Satisfaction by Field

Overall educational attainment is strongly linked to higher levels of life satisfaction.

College graduates consistently report being happier with their lives than non-graduates and are far more likely to view their employment as a career that provides a sense of identity, rather than “just a job to get by”.³³

A 2016 Pew Research Center report found that 60% of workers with a bachelor’s degree believe their job gives them a sense of identity, a figure that rises to 77% for those with a post-graduate degree, compared to just 38% for those with a high school diploma or less.³³

However, when examining job-specific satisfaction, a crucial distinction emerges: a person’s college major predicts their income, but it does not predict their job quality or overall quality of life.³⁶

A landmark study from the Great Jobs Demonstration Survey by Gallup, Inc. found that psychology graduates earning a median income of $49,000 per year reported being just as happy with their jobs and their lives as engineering graduates earning $100,000.³⁶

This finding suggests that once a threshold of financial stability is met, other factors become more dominant in determining happiness.

Job satisfaction varies significantly by field, often in ways that are inverse to salary rankings.

Fields that involve direct service to others and a high degree of human interaction consistently report the highest levels of job satisfaction.

A 2025 survey identified majors leading to careers as Dental Hygienists, Early Childhood Educators, Anesthesiologists, Psychologists, and Nurses as having the highest rates of job satisfaction.³⁷

This is attributed to factors like building relationships with patients or clients, helping others, and, in some cases, good work-life balance.³⁷

Humanities majors, despite their lower average salaries, report overall job satisfaction rates (87%) that are statistically similar to those of college graduates in all other fields combined (90%).³⁸

For many, particularly those in the humanities, earning an advanced degree provides a significant boost in job satisfaction.

A Pew Research survey found that 66% of those with a graduate degree report being “very satisfied” with their job, compared to 55% of those with only a bachelor’s degree.³⁹

This suggests that the deeper specialization and career clarity afforded by graduate study contributes substantially to professional contentment.

3.2 The Search for Purpose: Perceived Meaningfulness of Work

A distinct but related metric is the perceived “meaningfulness” of one’s work—the belief that the job makes the world a better place.

This sense of purpose is a powerful driver of fulfillment and, like job satisfaction, often shows an inverse correlation with salary.

Majors that lead to careers in healthcare, education, social services, and ministry consistently dominate the rankings for meaningfulness.

A comprehensive survey by Payscale.com asked graduates if their work makes the world a better place, and the results were telling.

Medical Laboratory Science ranked at the top, with a staggering 97% of graduates reporting high meaning in their work.⁴⁰

Other top-ranking majors included Pastoral Ministry (91%), Radiation Therapy (91%), and various counseling and therapy fields, which consistently scored in the 80-90% range for high meaning.⁴⁰

This creates a clear fulfillment-income paradox.

Many of the most meaningful careers, such as Counseling and Early Childhood Education, have relatively low mid-career salaries, often in the $40,000 to $50,000 range.⁴⁰

Conversely, some creative and highly analytical fields report surprisingly low levels of meaning.

Less than a third of graduates with degrees in Fashion Design, Creative Writing, Film Production, and even Statistics found their work to be highly meaningful.⁴⁰

There are, however, notable exceptions that manage to bridge the gap between pay and purpose.

Petroleum Engineering, one of the highest-paying majors with a mid-career salary exceeding $168,000, still has a substantial 71% of graduates who find their work meaningful.⁴⁰

Similarly, healthcare-related fields like Radiation Therapy and Nursing offer both high levels of meaning and strong, upper-middle-class salaries, presenting a compelling balance for students who prioritize both fulfillment and financial stability.⁴¹

Table 2: Top 25 Majors by Perceived Meaningfulness

Rank	Major	% High Meaning	Median Early-Career Pay	Median Mid-Career Pay
1	Music Therapy	95%	$49,400	$64,900
2	Cardiopulmonary Science	92%	$58,200	$84,000
3	Radiation Therapy	91%	$75,200	$109,500
4	Alcohol & Drug Studies	90%	$43,500	$59,200
5	Addictions Counseling	89%	$45,400	$51,800
6	Cardiovascular Technology	89%	$67,800	$77,900
7	Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)	88%	$74,300	$92,900
8	Physical Therapy	88%	$57,500	$112,700
9	Applied Behavior Analysis	88%	$44,700	$82,400
10	Health Services Management	87%	$48,900	$73,100
11	Occupational Therapy (OT)	86%	$63,500	$106,700
12	Medical Laboratory Science	86%	$64,900	$83,400
13	Surgical Technology	86%	$48,700	$65,200
14	Respiratory Care	85%	$63,700	$83,500
15	Diagnostic Medical Sonography	85%	$70,000	$84,400
16	Cytotechnology	85%	$69,100	$88,100
17	American Sign Language Interpreting	85%	$52,700	$91,600
18	Christian Education	84%	$47,200	$62,200
19	Community Health Education	84%	$35,900	$56,500
20	Echocardiography	84%	$70,100	$87,900
21	Early Childhood & Elementary Education	81%	$32,900	$42,300
22	Counseling	81%	$32,300	$40,900
23	Therapeutic Recreation	80%	$33,800	$48,000
24	Mining Engineering	79%	$71,500	$109,000
25	Safety Management	79%	$52,600	$80,800
Data synthesized from Payscale’s College Salary Report on meaningful majors.40 “% High Meaning” refers to the percentage of graduates who responded “Yes” or “Very much so” to the question, “Does your work make the world a better place?” Salary figures are median values and have been rounded.

3.3 The Specter of Regret: Which Majors Are Changed or Wished-for-Different?

The rate at which graduates express regret over their choice of major serves as a powerful retrospective indicator of a potential mismatch between their expectations and the reality of their education and career path.

While a majority of graduates are satisfied with their choice, a significant minority express second thoughts.

One BestColleges study found that as many as three in five graduates would change their major if they could go back ⁵, while a more conservative Pew Research Center study placed the figure at 29%.³⁹

This regret is not distributed evenly across academic disciplines.

The Pew study found that graduates from the liberal arts, social sciences, and education were the most likely to wish they had chosen a different major (33%).

In contrast, only 24% of science and engineering majors expressed a similar regret.³⁹

Majors like Journalism are often cited as being highly regretted, a sentiment likely driven by a challenging and contracting job market rather than a dislike of the subject matter itself.⁴⁴

On the other end of the spectrum, Computer Science is frequently reported as one of the least-regretted majors, thanks to its diverse career opportunities and high salary potential.⁴⁵

The primary driver of this regret is not a lack of interest in the subject, but the feeling that a different major would have better prepared the graduate to get the kind of job they wanted.³⁹

This finding directly links the emotional experience of regret to the economic outcomes discussed in the previous section.

The higher regret rates among humanities and social science majors are likely not an indictment of the intellectual value of those fields, but rather a symptom of a perceived disconnect between the broad, skills-based education they received and a clear, direct career path.

STEM and professional majors like Nursing offer very direct, well-defined career funnels.²⁰

In contrast, humanities majors provide versatile skills but often lack a single, obvious career trajectory, making the transition from college to career more challenging and uncertain.⁹

This underscores the critical importance for humanities students to proactively seek out internships, career counseling, and other forms of experiential learning to bridge the gap between their academic training and professional application.

Section 4: The Future Horizon: Navigating a Labor Market in Transformation

Choosing a major requires not only an understanding of the present but also a strategic view of the future.

The “best” major is one that equips a student not for the job market of today, but for the evolving labor market of the next decade and beyond.

This section provides a forward-looking analysis of the long-term viability of different fields by examining macroeconomic trends, job growth projections from authoritative sources, and the transformative impact of technology, particularly automation and artificial intelligence.

4.1 The Evolving Job Market: Growth Sectors and In-Demand Occupations

To future-proof a career, it is essential to align one’s education with sectors and occupations projected to grow.

Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) provides a clear roadmap of where the labor market is heading between 2023 and 2033.

When analyzed by percentage growth, the fastest-growing occupations are heavily concentrated in two key areas: renewable energy and healthcare.

Jobs such as Wind Turbine Service Technicians (60% growth) and Solar Photovoltaic Installers (48% growth) are expanding rapidly as the economy transitions toward sustainable energy sources.⁴⁷

Simultaneously, demographic shifts, particularly an aging population, are driving explosive growth in healthcare roles like Nurse Practitioners (46%), Physician Assistants (28%), and Physical and Occupational Therapy Assistants (25% and 22%, respectively).⁴⁷

Technology-focused roles, including Data Scientists (36%) and Information Security Analysts (33%), also feature prominently on this list, reflecting the increasing digitization of the economy.⁴⁷

However, looking at which occupations will add the most new jobs in absolute numbers presents a slightly different picture.

While some high-growth fields appear on both lists, the largest volume of new jobs will be created in established, large-scale sectors.

Healthcare support roles, particularly Home Health and Personal Care Aides, are projected to add the most new jobs (820,500).⁵¹

Technology remains a powerhouse, with Software Developers projected to add over 303,000 new positions.⁵¹

The service industry (Restaurant Cooks, General and Operations Managers) and logistics (Stockers, Truck Drivers) will also be major sources of new employment.⁵¹

This distinction is important: a major leading to a high-percentage-growth field may offer cutting-edge opportunities, while a major leading to a high-number-growth field may offer a larger and more accessible job market.

In terms of broader industry sectors, the BLS projects that the professional, scientific, and technical services sector will be the fastest-growing, driven primarily by the explosive growth in computer systems design and related services.⁵³

Healthcare, technology/IT, and finance are also consistently cited as high-demand industries with strong long-term outlooks.⁴⁹

Table 3: Fastest-Growing Occupations & Typical Education Requirements (2023–2033 Projections)

Rank	Occupation	Projected Growth Rate (%)	Projected New Jobs (#)	2024 Median Pay	Typical Entry-Level Education
1	Wind Turbine Service Technicians	60%	6,800	$62,580	Postsecondary non-degree award
2	Solar Photovoltaic Installers	48%	12,000	$51,860	High school diploma or equivalent
3	Nurse Practitioners	46%	135,500	$129,210	Master’s degree
4	Data Scientists	36%	73,100	$112,590	Bachelor’s degree
5	Information Security Analysts	33%	59,100	$124,910	Bachelor’s degree
6	Medical and Health Services Managers	29%	160,600	$117,960	Bachelor’s degree
7	Physician Assistants	28%	43,700	$133,260	Master’s degree
8	Computer and Information Research Scientists	26%	9,400	$140,910	Master’s degree
9	Physical Therapist Assistants	25%	27,500	$65,510	Associate’s degree
10	Operations Research Analysts	23%	28,300	$91,290	Bachelor’s degree
Data synthesized from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook.47

4.2 The Automation Revolution: AI’s Impact on the Workforce

Artificial intelligence and automation are poised to be the most disruptive forces in the labor market for the foreseeable future.

These technologies are not merely creating new jobs but are fundamentally reshaping the tasks and skills required within existing ones.

A major’s long-term value is therefore increasingly dependent on the resilience of its core skill set against automation.

The scale of this transformation is immense.

The World Economic Forum (WEF) and McKinsey & Company project that a substantial portion of workers’ core skills—between 39% and 44%—will be disrupted or rendered obsolete by 2030.⁵⁴

McKinsey’s analysis suggests that as many as one in sixteen workers may need to switch occupations entirely, a transition accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.⁵⁷

The impact of AI is not uniform across all fields.

AI is most effective at automating tasks that are routine, predictable, and data-intensive.

This makes majors and subsequent careers that are heavy in data analysis (such as Computer Science, Statistics, Finance, and Accounting) and content generation (such as Writing and Graphic Design) highly impacted by AI.⁵⁸

It is a critical error, however, to equate “impact” with “replacement.” While AI tools can now generate and debug code, perform financial modeling, or create images from text prompts, this primarily affects entry-level, routine tasks.³⁰

The high unemployment rate among recent computer science graduates is a direct symptom of this trend, as companies automate junior-level coding work that once served as a primary entry point into the industry.³⁰

Conversely, tasks that are inherently human-centric are far more resilient to full automation.

AI struggles to replicate activities that require deep interpersonal empathy, compassion, nuanced ethical judgment, creative problem-solving in unpredictable environments, and physical human touch.⁶⁰

This makes majors that lead to careers in direct patient care (such as Nursing), therapy and counseling, and education among the most “automation-proof”.⁶⁰

While AI can assist with diagnostics or administrative tasks in these fields, it cannot replace the core human relationship and critical decision-making involved.

This suggests that majors in the health sciences and education are becoming some of the most secure long-term investments from a job viability perspective.

4.3 The Skills of the Future: The Rise of the Human-Centric and Tech-Fluent Professional

The future workforce will not be defined by a binary choice between technology and humanity, but by their synthesis.

The most valuable professionals will be those who possess a dual competency: advanced technological literacy combined with uniquely human cognitive and social-emotional skills.

The optimal career strategy is to become an individual who can leverage AI as a powerful tool while providing the strategic oversight, creative insight, and ethical judgment that machines lack.

Analysis of future skills demand from the WEF, McKinsey, and other sources reveals a clear and consistent picture.

The most in-demand technical skills are unequivocally related to AI and data.

This cluster includes proficiency in AI and Big Data, Data Analysis, Software Development, Cybersecurity, and Cloud Computing.⁶²

These are the tools of the modern economy, and a baseline literacy in them is becoming essential across nearly all industries.

However, employers are placing an equal, if not greater, emphasis on a set of “human” skills that are difficult or impossible to automate.

Across numerous reports, the most critical of these are:

• Analytical and Critical Thinking: The ability to analyze complex information, ask the right questions, and make strategic decisions.⁶²
• Creative Thinking: The capacity for innovation, brainstorming unique ideas, and approaching problems from novel perspectives.⁶²
• Resilience, Flexibility, and Agility: The psychological capacity to adapt to constant change and navigate uncertainty.⁵⁵
• Leadership and Social Influence: The interpersonal skills needed to motivate teams, communicate effectively, and manage human relationships.⁶²
• Curiosity and Lifelong Learning: The mindset and ability to continuously acquire new skills and knowledge throughout one’s career.⁵⁵

This dual demand leads to a powerful conclusion about the value of different types of education.

The rise of AI, which automates many routine technical tasks, paradoxically increases the market value of the non-automatable skills of critical thinking, communication, and adaptability.

These are the very skills that form the core of a traditional liberal arts education.¹⁶

Far from being obsolete, a liberal arts foundation is becoming increasingly relevant for navigating a complex, AI-driven future.

The key for students in these fields is to learn how to articulate and apply these foundational skills in a professional context, often by pairing them with a more technical or practical minor or set of experiences.

Table 4: Critical Skills for the 2030 Workforce

Skill Category	Specific In-Demand Skills
Technological Skills	• AI and Big Data • Networks and Cybersecurity • Technological Literacy (incl. Software Development, Cloud Computing) • Data Analysis & Visualization
Higher Cognitive Skills	• Analytical Thinking • Creative Thinking • Complex Problem-Solving • Systems Thinking
Social & Emotional Skills	• Leadership and Social Influence • Empathy and Active Listening • Emotional Intelligence • Teaching and Mentoring
Self-Management Skills	• Resilience, Flexibility, and Agility • Curiosity and Lifelong Learning • Motivation and Self-Awareness • Dependability and Attention to Detail
Cross-Functional Skills	• Talent Management • Resource Management and Operations • Environmental Stewardship
Data synthesized from the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report and McKinsey & Company analyses.55

Section 5: A Comparative Analysis of Academic Disciplines

To provide a clear, actionable summary, this section synthesizes the findings from the previous analyses into a direct, multi-variable comparison of the major academic “supergroups.” This holistic view illuminates the distinct profiles of strengths, weaknesses, and strategic trade-offs associated with each broad field of study.

No single category emerges as definitively “best” across all metrics; rather, each offers a unique value proposition that aligns with different student priorities.

5.1 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

• Economic Outcomes: STEM majors consistently offer the highest early-career and mid-career salaries, with fields like engineering and computer science setting the benchmark for earning potential.²⁵ The job market is generally strong due to high demand for technical expertise; however, it can be volatile and susceptible to market corrections and shifts in technology. Recent trends have shown surprisingly high unemployment rates for new computer science graduates, a result of tech industry layoffs and the automation of entry-level roles.³⁰
• Fulfillment Metrics: Graduates in STEM fields report lower rates of major-related regret compared to their humanities counterparts, likely due to clearer and more lucrative career paths.³⁹ Overall job satisfaction is typically moderate. Perceived meaningfulness varies widely by specialization; for example, 61% of petroleum engineers find their work meaningful, while only 21% of operations research and industrial engineers report the same.⁴³
• Future Viability: This category is the most directly impacted by AI and automation. This creates a dual reality: significant vulnerability for roles focused on routine, entry-level tasks, but immense opportunity for professionals with advanced, systems-level skills who can design, manage, and ethically deploy these new technologies.³⁰ The core technical competencies of STEM—AI, data analysis, software development—are the most in-demand skills for the future workforce.⁶³
• Synthesis: STEM represents the high-risk, high-reward path. It offers the greatest financial potential but demands continuous upskilling to stay ahead of the rapid pace of technological change and market fluctuations. Success requires moving beyond rote technical skills to cultivate higher-order problem-solving and strategic thinking.

5.2 Health Sciences (Nursing, Therapies, Healthcare Administration, etc.)

• Economic Outcomes: Majors in the health sciences provide strong and stable starting and mid-career salaries, though they do not typically reach the absolute peaks of top-tier engineering or finance roles.²⁴ Their primary economic strength lies in unparalleled job security. Fields like nursing have extremely low underemployment and unemployment rates, ensuring a direct and reliable path from graduation to a relevant, well-paying career.²³
• Fulfillment Metrics: The health sciences consistently rank at the absolute top for both job satisfaction and perceived meaningfulness.³⁷ The direct impact on human well-being and the interpersonal nature of the work provide a powerful sense of purpose that is unmatched by most other fields.
• Future Viability: This category is widely considered the most “automation-proof.” The core functions of healthcare—requiring physical touch, empathy, complex ethical decision-making, and nuanced human interaction—are precisely the areas where AI is least capable.⁶⁰ Furthermore, long-term demand is structurally guaranteed to grow due to powerful demographic trends, namely the aging of the global population.⁴⁹
• Synthesis: The health sciences represent the high-security, high-fulfillment path. This field offers a stable, meaningful, and financially comfortable career, making it arguably the “safest” and most holistically rewarding long-term investment for students who are so inclined.

5.3 Business & Economics (Finance, Accounting, Management, Marketing)

• Economic Outcomes: This category delivers very strong and consistent economic returns. Majors such as Finance and Economics often rival top STEM fields in terms of salary potential, both early and mid-career.²⁵ Business Administration is the single most popular degree conferred in the United States, providing a broad and direct pathway into the corporate world.⁴⁵
• Fulfillment Metrics: Fulfillment metrics for business majors are generally mixed. They do not typically appear in the top ranks for either job satisfaction or perceived meaningfulness when compared to service-oriented fields like healthcare and education.
• Future Viability: Business roles are highly impacted by AI, particularly in routine analytical functions like accounting, financial modeling, and market data analysis.⁵⁸ However, the core purpose of a business education is to develop skills in leadership, management, strategy, and communication—all of which are identified as critical, in-demand human skills for the future.⁶² The overall job outlook remains strong, with the BLS projecting the creation of hundreds of thousands of new management and financial jobs.⁵¹
• Synthesis: Business and Economics represent the pragmatic and versatile path. These majors provide a direct route to a wide array of corporate and financial careers with strong earning potential. Long-term success will depend on a student’s ability to move beyond automatable analytical tasks and develop the strategic leadership and interpersonal skills necessary to manage people, resources, and complex organizations.

5.4 Humanities & Liberal Arts (History, English, Philosophy, Communications, etc.)

• Economic Outcomes: This category has the lowest average starting salaries of the four groups.²⁵ However, this initial disadvantage is often mitigated by strong mid-career salary growth, which can narrow the gap with more technical fields over time.²³ These majors are associated with higher rates of underemployment, particularly for graduates who have not proactively established a clear career path through internships and networking.²³
• Fulfillment Metrics: Humanities majors report overall job satisfaction rates similar to graduates from other fields.³⁸ They do, however, have higher rates of major-related regret, a phenomenon likely tied to the uncertainty and challenges of translating their broad education into a specific career, rather than dissatisfaction with the subject matter itself.³⁹
• Future Viability: The long-term value proposition of a liberal arts education is increasingly compelling in the age of AI. The core competencies cultivated in these majors—critical thinking, creativity, complex communication, ethical reasoning, and adaptability—are precisely the “human skills” that have been identified by the World Economic Forum and McKinsey as the most crucial, durable, and in-demand for the future workforce.⁶⁶
• Synthesis: The humanities and liberal arts represent the long-term, skills-based path. This route offers lower initial financial security but provides the foundational cognitive and social frameworks that are most resilient to automation and most valuable for long-term career adaptability. Success in this path is highly dependent on the student’s proactive effort to gain practical, real-world experience to effectively translate these powerful, abstract skills into a tangible career.

The distinct profiles of these major categories reveal a crucial conclusion: no single path is universally superior.

The optimal educational strategy is often a hybrid one.

A STEM major who minors in philosophy develops the ethical reasoning and communication skills needed for leadership.

A history major who earns a certificate in data analytics gains the technical literacy to apply their research skills in a modern context.

This suggests that the most successful students will be those who construct a “T-shaped” profile: deep expertise in one primary field (the vertical bar of the T) combined with a broad set of interdisciplinary skills and knowledge (the horizontal bar).

Table 5: Comparative Outcomes of Major Categories

Metric	STEM	Health Sciences	Business & Economics	Humanities & Liberal Arts
Early-Career Salary	HighTop-tier earnings, especially in engineering and computer science. 25	Medium-HighStrong, stable salaries, particularly in nursing. 25	HighVery strong earnings, with finance and economics rivaling STEM. 29	LowLowest average starting salaries among the categories. 28
Mid-Career Salary	HighHighest overall earning potential, with many fields exceeding $120k. 23	Medium-HighSolid growth, leading to comfortable upper-middle-class incomes. 41	HighExcellent growth, remaining competitive with top STEM fields. 29	MediumStrongest percentage growth, significantly narrowing the gap over time. 23
Job Security	MediumHigh demand but can be volatile; susceptible to market cycles and tech shifts. 30	HighExtremely low underemployment and unemployment rates; stable, growing demand. 23	Medium-HighBroad applicability provides versatility, but some roles are vulnerable to economic downturns. 70	Low-MediumHigher risk of underemployment without a clear career plan and practical experience. 23
Fulfillment	Low-MediumGenerally lower scores for satisfaction and meaning compared to service fields. 36	HighConsistently ranks at the top for both job satisfaction and perceived meaningfulness. 37	MediumGenerally does not rank high for satisfaction or meaning. 40	Medium-HighHigh overall satisfaction, but can have higher rates of career-path regret. 38
Future-Proofing (AI Resilience)	MediumHighly impacted. Entry-level roles are vulnerable, but advanced skills are in highest demand. 58	HighMost resilient field due to reliance on empathy, ethics, and physical human interaction. 60	MediumRoutine analytical roles are vulnerable, but leadership and strategy skills are in high demand. 58	HighCore skills (critical thinking, creativity, communication) are the least automatable and most durable. 66

Section 6: Synthesis and Strategic Recommendations: Building Your Optimal Academic Portfolio

The preceding analysis demonstrates that there is no single “best” college major.

The optimal choice is not a static answer but a dynamic strategy, tailored to an individual’s unique blend of priorities across the four pillars of Personal Alignment, Economic Value, Human Fulfillment, and Future Viability.

This concluding section synthesizes the report’s findings into a set of actionable recommendations designed to empower students to construct a resilient and rewarding academic and professional future.

6.1 Recapping the Four Pillars of the Optimal Major

A strategic approach to selecting a major requires a balanced consideration of four distinct but interconnected domains of value:

• Personal Alignment: The foundation of any successful choice is a deep connection to the subject matter. A major that aligns with one’s interests and strengths fosters the motivation and engagement necessary for academic excellence and long-term career persistence.²
• Economic Value: A pragmatic assessment of financial outcomes is essential. This includes not just starting salary but the entire career earnings trajectory, as well as the crucial metrics of job security as measured by unemployment and underemployment rates.²³
• Human Fulfillment: A truly “valuable” career provides more than a paycheck. Metrics of job satisfaction and perceived meaningfulness are critical indicators of long-term happiness and a sense of purpose, and they often diverge sharply from purely financial rewards.³⁶
• Future Viability: In an era of rapid technological change, the most durable majors are those that equip students with skills that are resilient to automation and aligned with the future needs of the labor market. This requires a focus on both advanced technological literacy and uniquely human cognitive and social skills.⁶⁰

6.2 The Portfolio Strategy: Beyond a Single Major

The most effective response to the complexity of the modern career landscape is to move beyond the concept of a single major and instead focus on building a strategically constructed portfolio of credentials, skills, and experiences.

This approach allows a student to create a unique profile that is both personally fulfilling and professionally robust.

Key components of this portfolio strategy include:

• The Major + Minor/Certificate Combination: This is one of the most powerful ways to create a hybrid academic profile. Students can combine a passion-driven major with a pragmatic, skills-based minor or certificate, or vice versa. For example, a student passionate about history could minor in data analytics to apply quantitative research methods to historical inquiry, making them a unique candidate for roles in intelligence, market research, or data journalism. Conversely, a computer science major could minor in philosophy to develop the ethical reasoning skills essential for leadership roles in AI development.³
• Interdisciplinary and Self-Designed Majors: For students whose interests genuinely span multiple fields, many universities offer formal interdisciplinary majors (e.g., Politics, Philosophy, and Economics) or the option to design one’s own major.⁵ This path allows for the creation of a truly unique and specialized profile that can be highly attractive to employers seeking innovative thinkers.
• The Primacy of Experiential Learning: Across all majors and disciplines, the data is unequivocal: gaining practical, real-world work experience is one of the most critical factors for a successful transition from college to career. A staggering 50% of all college graduates report that their biggest regret is not gaining more work experience while they were in school.³⁹ Therefore, internships, co-op programs, substantive part-time jobs, and research assistantships should not be viewed as optional add-ons but as essential, non-negotiable components of the undergraduate portfolio.⁷³

6.3 Final Recommendation: Embrace the Process, Prioritize Skills, and Commit to Lifelong Learning

The journey to finding the optimal major is not a linear path to a predetermined destination, but a process of discovery.

The final recommendations of this report are therefore not about what to choose, but how to choose and how to learn.

• Embrace the Process: The evidence overwhelmingly shows that it is normal to be undecided and common to change one’s mind.² Students should trust this developmental process, using their first years of college for intentional exploration. The pressure to have a definitive answer upon arrival is a counterproductive myth; the most successful outcomes arise from a thoughtful journey of self-assessment, research, and experiential validation.¹⁹
• Prioritize Skills over Titles: In a rapidly changing world, specific job titles are ephemeral, but foundational skills are durable. Students should focus their education on acquiring the high-demand technical and human skills identified in this report’s analysis.⁵⁶ These skills—such as data analysis, creative thinking, communication, and leadership—are more transferable and provide more long-term value than any single major designation.
• Commit to Lifelong Learning: The single most future-proof “skill” a student can develop is the ability and disposition to be a lifelong learner.⁵⁵ The World Economic Forum projects that nearly 40% of a worker’s core skills will need to change by 2030.⁵⁶ In such an environment, the “best” major is ultimately the one that teaches a student
  how to learn, how to adapt, and how to remain intellectually curious for the rest of their life. A broad-based, interdisciplinary education, particularly one grounded in the liberal arts, is exceptionally well-suited to fostering this capacity for continuous adaptation and inquiry.⁶⁶

In conclusion, the “best college major” is not a destination to be found on a list, but a personalized path to be built.

It is a path paved with self-awareness, informed by data, validated by experience, and fortified by a diverse portfolio of future-ready skills.

The ultimate goal of a college education is not to choose the perfect major, but to become the perfect learner: adaptable, critical, and prepared for a future of continuous and exciting transformation.

Works cited

1. 12 tips for selecting a college major – Central Michigan University, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.cmich.edu/blog/all-things-higher-ed/12-tips-for-selecting-a-college-major
2. How to choose a college major | School of Kinesiology – University of Minnesota, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://kin.umn.edu/how-choose-college-major
3. How to Choose the Right College Major – Husson University, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.husson.edu/online/blog/2024/06/choosing-a-college-major
4. 10 Tips for Choosing a Major in College – KU Edwards Campus – The University of Kansas, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://edwardscampus.ku.edu/blog/10-tips-choosing-major
5. How to Choose Your College Major: 6 Factors to Consider, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.bestcolleges.com/resources/choosing-a-major/
6. Choosing the Right College Major for You – BigFuture, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/plan-for-college/find-your-fit/choosing-right-major-for-you
7. Choose Your Major Quiz – Marquette University, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.marquette.edu/academics/majors/choose-your-major/
8. How to Choose a College Major: 5 Steps for Success – St. John’s University, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.stjohns.edu/news-media/johnnies-blog/how-choose-college-major-5-steps-success
9. Guide to Choosing College Majors | The Princeton Review, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.princetonreview.com/college-advice/choosing-college-majors
10. When do I need to pick a major by and how important is choosing the right major for my career? – Unigo.com, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.unigo.com/admissions-advice/when-do-i-need-to-pick-a-major-by-and-how-important-is-choosing-the-right-major-for-my-career
11. 8 tips for choosing a college with an undecided major – Central Michigan University, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.cmich.edu/blog/all-things-higher-ed/8-tips-for-how-to-choose-college-with-undecided-major
12. Why It’s Okay to Enter College Undecided, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.meredith.edu/admissions-blog/why-its-okay-to-enter-college-undecided/
13. Pros and Cons of Applying to College as an Undecided Major, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.signaturecollegecounseling.com/pros-and-cons-of-applying-to-college-as-an-undecided-major/
14. 7 Things Every Undecided Student Should Know | University of Bridgeport, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.bridgeport.edu/news/undecided-student-information/
15. 5 Benefits of Being an Undecided Major – St. John’s University, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.stjohns.edu/news-media/johnnies-blog/5-benefits-being-undecided-major
16. Five Reasons It’s Okay to Be Undecided About Your Major – Meredith College, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.meredith.edu/admissions-blog/five-reasons-its-okay-to-be-undecided-about-your-major/
17. The pros of going into college undecided – Marymount University, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://marymount.edu/blog/the-pros-of-going-into-college-undecided/
18. Pros and Cons of an Undecided College Major, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://collegekickstart.wp.drake.edu/pros-and-cons-of-an-undecided-college-major/
19. What I Wish I had Known about Changing Majors | Educational Outreach and Student Services – Arizona State University, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://eoss.asu.edu/content/what-i-wish-i-had-known-about-changing-majors
20. Choosing A College Major | VSAC, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.vsac.org/plan/exploring-career-options/choose-college-major
21. Undecided vs Undeclared – University College – UNC Charlotte, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://ucol.charlotte.edu/exploring-majors/undecided-vs-undeclared/
22. Changing Majors in College: What to Consider Before Making the Switch, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://thescholarshipsystem.com/blog-for-students-families/changing-majors-in-college-what-to-consider-before-making-the-switch/
23. ROI Of College Majors By Early And Mid-Career Salaries | Bankrate, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.bankrate.com/loans/student-loans/roi-mid-career-by-major/
24. 9 Highest Paying College Majors in 2025 | University of Bridgeport, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.bridgeport.edu/news/highest-paying-college-majors-in-2025/
25. 50 Highest Paying College Majors in 2025 – College Transitions, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.collegetransitions.com/blog/highest-paying-college-majors/
26. College Majors with Highest Salary Jobs – Fastweb, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.fastweb.com/career-planning/articles/college-majors-that-make-the-most-money
27. 50 Highest Paying College Majors in 2025 – Scholarship Gold Consulting, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.scholarshipgold.com/50-highest-paying-college-majors-in-2025
28. COLLEGE MAJORS – CEW Georgetown – Georgetown University, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://cew.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/The-Economic-Value-of-College-Majors-Exec-Summ-Web.pdf
29. Highest-Paying College Majors: 2025 Statistics – BestColleges.com, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.bestcolleges.com/research/highest-paying-college-majors/
30. US computer science degrees from top universities are leaving graduates jobless: Why is top coding education no longer enough?, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/us-computer-science-degrees-from-top-universities-are-leaving-graduates-jobless-why-is-top-coding-education-no-longer-enough/articleshow/123243221.cms
31. Why Colleges and Employers are Struggling to Keep up with Automation – Unmudl, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://unmudl.com/employers/blog/why-colleges-and-employers-are-struggling-to-keep-up-with-automation
32. 10 Highest Paying Majors in 2025 and One to Avoid | Extern, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.extern.com/post/highest-earning-majors
33. Earn More on Average Decrease Chances of Unemployment Experience Greater Job Satisfaction Increase Your Happiness Live a Longer – Navy College Program, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.navycollege.navy.mil/docs/Navy_Ed_Marketing_Poster_Degree_Value.pdf
34. Personal well-being value of a UC degree – University of California | Office of The President, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.ucop.edu/institutional-research-academic-planning/_files/vod-personal-well-being-brief.pdf
35. Getting a College Degree Can Make You a Happier Person — Here’s Why, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://learn.neumann.edu/neudirections/getting-a-college-degree-can-make-you-a-happier-person-heres-why
36. College Major Predicts Income but not Happiness! – Open Access Kent State, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://oaks.kent.edu/ugresearch/2020/psychology/college-major-predicts-income-not-happiness
37. 9 best degrees that lead to the highest job satisfaction, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://studyinternational.com/news/highest-job-satisfaction-degrees/
38. Job Satisfaction of Humanities Majors | American Academy of Arts …, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.amacad.org/humanities-indicators/workforce/job-satisfaction-humanities-majors
39. Chapter 2: Public Views on the Value of Education | Pew Research …, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2014/02/11/chapter-2-public-views-on-the-value-of-education/
40. The Most Meaningful College Majors | MSU Denver, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.msudenver.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/The-Most-Meaningful-College-Majors.pdf
41. Most Meaningful College Majors – Payscale, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.payscale.com/college-salary-report/most-meaningful-majors
42. The 19 college degrees that lead to the most satisfying careers – The World Economic Forum, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.weforum.org/stories/2015/11/the-19-college-degrees-that-lead-to-the-most-satisfying-careers/
43. 25 Best College Majors for a Lucrative Career – Kiplinger, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/business/t012-s001-best-college-majors-for-a-lucrative-career/index.html
44. Is happiness important for choosing the major? : r/CollegeMajors – Reddit, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/CollegeMajors/comments/1c24ved/is_happiness_important_for_choosing_the_major/
45. 32 Best College Majors to Pursue for 2025: Salary & Job Growth Data | Research.com, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://research.com/degrees/best-college-majors-to-pursue
46. STEM vs Humanities: Benefits, Career Options, and Top Colleges, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.cialfo.co/blog/stem-vs-humanities
47. Fastest Growing Occupations : Occupational Outlook Handbook …, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/fastest-growing.htm
48. Fastest growing occupations – U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/fastest-growing-occupations.htm
49. Top Degrees in Demand for the Future | Best Majors – NMSU Global Campus – New Mexico State University, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://global.nmsu.edu/blog/general/in-demand-college-majors-2025/
50. Fastest Growing Careers – CareerOneStop, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Careers/fastest-growing-careers.aspx
51. Most New Jobs : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of …, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/most-new-jobs.htm
52. What are the fastest growing professions in America? | USAFacts, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://usafacts.org/articles/what-are-the-fastest-growing-professions-in-america/
53. The fastest growing industry sector, 2023–33: Professional, scientific, and technical services : Career Outlook – U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2025/article/fastest-growing-industry-sector.htm
54. What are the most valuable skills for the jobs of the future? – The World Economic Forum, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.weforum.org/videos/future-of-jobs-valuable-skills/
55. Future of Jobs Report 2025 | World Economic Forum, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_of_Jobs_Report_2025.pdf
56. Development in the Future of Work – McKinsey, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/featured%20insights/people%20in%20progress%20blog/learning%20trends%202025/2025_mckinsey%20learning%20perspective.pdf
57. McKinsey: What is the future of work? – GigsBoard, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://gigsboard.com/mckinsey-futureofwork/
58. 8 College Majors Most Likely To Be Replaced By AI – Earnest, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.earnest.com/blog/college-majors-impacted-by-ai/
59. The impact of automation on student’s career decision – Scholarly Commons, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://commons.erau.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1012&context=ww-research-methods-rsch202
60. Majors That Will Remain Employable After AI Disruption (Next 10 Years) – GoElite, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://goelite.com/blogs/majors-in-ai-age
61. How will automation affect jobs, skills, and wages? | McKinsey, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/future-of-work/how-will-automation-affect-jobs-skills-and-wages
62. Top 10 In-Demand Skills in 2025 That You Will Need – CityU of Seattle, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.cityu.edu/blog/skills-in-demand-2025/
63. The 25+ Most In-Demand Skills in 2025 & Beyond • Toggl Hire, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://toggl.com/blog/most-in-demand-skills
64. 18 High-Income Skills to Learn in 2025 – Coursera, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.coursera.org/articles/high-income-skills
65. EdAssist | The 10 Most In Demand Job Skills You’ll Need by 2030 …, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.brighthorizons.com/resources/blog/edassist/the-10-most-in-demand-job-skills-youll-need-by-2030
66. The Importance of Liberal Arts Education – Today and in the Future …, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.highereducationdigest.com/the-importance-of-liberal-arts-education-today-and-in-the-future/
67. www.moundsparkacademy.org, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.moundsparkacademy.org/news/2024/09/05/the-role-of-liberal-arts-in-21st-century-learning/#:~:text=A%20broad%20knowledge%20of%20subjects,and%20advancements%20in%20various%20fields.
68. Future of Work | McKinsey & Company, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/future-of-work
69. 50 Highest-Paying College Majors for 2025 – Research.com, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://research.com/degrees/highest-paying-college-majors
70. 10 Most In-Demand Majors – BestColleges.com, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.bestcolleges.com/blog/most-in-demand-majors/
71. Beyond STEM: Careers in Humanities Are Valuable, Too – Aperture Content Marketing, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://aperturecm.com/beyond-stem-careers-in-humanities-are-valuable-too
72. Honest job outlook for STEM vs. humanities majors? : r/Cornell – Reddit, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/Cornell/comments/10jpvgh/honest_job_outlook_for_stem_vs_humanities_majors/
73. Trends & Predictions – Job Market – NACE, accessed on August 13, 2025, https://naceweb.org/job-market/trends-and-predictions/