College Preparation: Most Popular Majors
College Majors
The Starting XI
Most Popular Majors & Starting Salaries
By: Jeffery Guillermo
Playing on a sports team is a lot like choosing a college major. For instance, in order to be a successful soccer player, one must have a combination of skills. Some positions, such as strikers and forwards, require more power and speed. Other positions, like center backs and defensive midfielders, utilize their endurance and agility to sweep the ball from the offensive team. If you apply this concept to college, it can help you choose a major (and future career). Each major requires a different set of skills–just like soccer. What are your strengths? Where do you gravitate?
Regardless of your talents, sometimes it’s difficult to choose a major among so many options. The following list of the 11 most popular majors may help you. The starting annual salaries are based on survey data from www.studentsreview.com. Keep in mind that you may end up making more [or less] than this amount.
1. Business, $52,928
Want to learn how to run a business the right way? A major in Business will help you do exactly that. You can study various fields of business, such as accounting, finance, management, statistics, marketing and economics. Career options for business majors range from investment banking to financial planning to entrepreneurship. And, you can even find further career growth if you go on to earn a Masters in Business Administration. Maybe you could be the next Gordon Gekko, but be sure to heed Gekko’s words before you begin: “Greed captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.”
2. Psychology, $43,662
Interested in the mind? If so, you may want to consider majoring in psychology, the study of human and animal behavior. There are many fields of work in psychology, including behavior, cognition, neuroscience and counseling. Many graduates take positions in public relations, market research and human resources, but the most popularized is the psychologist. But, before you are able to talk to people on couches and charge $(insert#youwantrighthere).00 per hour, you need to finish your bachelor’s degree and your doctorate. And, if your wish is to become a psychiatrist and prescribe medication to your clients, you need to attend medical school as well as complete a four-year medical residency.
3. Education, $35,522
Children may be silly, careless and simple, so it’s easy to forget that they are also the future. Majoring in education will allow you to shape their young minds. When your academic work is complete, you will then move into the classroom for your student teaching experience. After taking the required certification exams, it will then be time to start molding the next generation, whether it is at the early childhood, primary or secondary level.
4. Communication Studies, $41,906
Communication serves as the foundation of human experience. As a major, you not only learn the ways in which information is recorded and transmitted, but also how it shapes our minds. Communication majors study verbal and nonverbal messages, mediums, theories and biases. With your degree, you may choose to pursue a career in business, public relations, media, human resources, etc.
5. English, $40,462
English majors gain copious knowledge of authors, their works and their writing styles. Through practice, you will learn how to hone your writing and reading skills, which are valuable in any field of work. You’ll find English majors in countless types of jobs, as well as in a variety of graduate programs. Many authors, reporters, journalists, editors, broadcasters, teachers, lawyers, copywriters, politicians and actors hold bachelor’s degrees in English. Warning: You must be prepared to read, think, discuss, write and proofread countless lines of prose.
6. Nursing, $57,835
Nurse Ratched, a character in Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, is a tyrannical monster. Most nurses, however, bear no resemblance to Ratched. They are valuable people that educate patients, help them meet basic health needs, offer therapy or even lend a compassionate hand as they enter the hereafter. Nursing students receive constant hands-on training, and after graduation they are required to pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses. Students find excellent employment outlook, as there are a severe shortage of nurses.
7. Political Science, $50,615
Political science is the study of politics and governments. If this sounds unimportant to you, figure this: The great philosopher Aristotle, more than 2,000 years ago, said, “Man is by nature a political animal.” Everything in politics happens for a reason, and you will get a chance to find those reasons. Political science majors routinely obtain jobs in politics, journalism, as lobbyists, in think-tanks, etc. Law school is another popular option for graduates.
8. Biology, $59,979
Biology majors study the world and the organisms that inhabit it. As a bio major, you can learn about cell biology, genetics, molecular biology, ecology, marine biology, botany, zoology and organic chemistry, all of which are under the umbrella term “life sciences.” After graduation, many students enroll in medical school or find themselves doing research jobs in genetics, biotechnology and the medical fields.
9. Computer Science, $57,452
If you are good with computers and want a paycheck for your skills, consider computer science. This is a highly technical field involving various advanced math and computer programming courses. Through your studies you will learn how to develop software, design applications and perform system analysis. You may also venture into the world of robotics, artificial intelligence and programming languages. As enrollment for this major is in decline, graduates are seeing wages rise.
10. History, $43,959
History majors learn and develop their writing skills, critical analysis skills and research skills. By learning how to write persuasively, as well as developing knowledge of historical trends, graduates are well prepared for a career in the professional world, as well as a career in academics. Many graduates find themselves working as researchers, teachers, writers, editors, lawyers and businessmen.
11. Journalism, $40,357
If you enjoy asking people questions and hearing their stories, journalism may be for you. Journalism majors, other than learning basic writing, research and reporting skills, develop the insight to deliver news in interesting ways. Whether the message is via print, radio, film or online, you will learn how information can be transmitted in a democratic society. Over the course of the major, you will track historical movements, learn about journalism ethics and critique others’ work. Graduates often find work as writers, reporters, copywriters, news analysts and newscasters.