Making the Right Choice - Under-Graduate Degree

While it is still a pretty good bet that having an undergraduate degree will improve your chances for employment and a better salary. The statistic say a high school graduate will make 40% less than someone with a undergraduate bachelor degree and maybe more than twice as likely to be unemployed. In today’s economy that is not a place if given the choice and opportunity you would want to be. However, if you are going to spend both the time and money to get an under-graduate degree, selecting the right course of study would be a good way to improve the return on your investment. So here are the results of a study of the 100 most popular majors for under-graduate degrees the best and the worst you chose. Based on a study by PayScale and Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce, The following are your top ten best and worst undergraduate degrees. When selecting your course of study, do the research this is not something you want to find out at graduation. The study looked for majors whose graduates -- both recent grads (within the past five years) and those well into their careers.

The following list of the worst majors starting with the Best of the worst “English” and ending with the worst Anthropology. (Indiana Jones might not agree but he is a movie star)

No. 10: English

Unemployment rate: 6.7% (average for all graduates with bachelor's degree: 4.9%)Unemployment rate for recent grads: 9.2% (average for top 100 majors: 7.7%)Median salary: $48,000 (median for all grads with bachelor's: $54,756)Median salary for recent grads: $32,000 (median for top 100 majors: $37,000)Projected job growth for this field, 2010-2020: 6% (average: 14%)

No. 9: Sociology

Unemployment rate: 7.0%Unemployment rate for recent grads: 8.6%Median salary: $45,000Median salary for recent grads: $32,000Projected job growth for this field, 2010-2020: 18%

No. 8: Drama and theater arts

Unemployment rate: 7.1%Unemployment rate for recent grads: 7.8%Median salary: $40,000Median salary for recent grads: $26,000Projected job growth for this field, 2010-2020: 4%

No. 7: Liberal arts

Unemployment rate: 7.6%Unemployment rate for recent grads: 9.2%Median salary: $48,000Median salary for recent grads: $30,000Projected job growth for this field, 2010-2020: not available

No. 6: Studio arts

Unemployment rate: 8.0%Unemployment rate for recent grads: 11.1%Median salary: $37,000Median salary for recent grads: $35,900Projected job growth for this field, 2010-2020: 5%

No. 5: Graphic design

Unemployment rate: 8.1%Unemployment rate for recent grads: 11.8%Median salary: $45,000Median salary for recent grads: $32,000Projected job growth for this field, 2010-2020: 13%

No. 4: Philosophy and religious studies

Unemployment rate: 7.2%Unemployment rate for recent grads: 10.8%Median salary: $42,000Median salary for recent grads: $30,000Projected job growth for this field, 2010-2020: Not available

No. 3: Film and photography

Unemployment rate: 7.3%Unemployment rate for recent grads: 12.9%Median salary: $45,000Median salary for recent grads: $30,000Projected job growth for this field, 2010-2020: 13%

No. 2: Fine arts

Unemployment rate: 7.4%Unemployment rate for recent grads: 12.6%Median salary: $44,000Median salary for recent grads: $30,000Projected job growth for this field, 2010-2020: 5%

No. 1: Anthropology

Unemployment rate: 6.9%Recent grad employment rate: 10.5 Median salary: $40,000Median salary for recent grads: $28,000Projected job growth for this field, 2010-2020: 21%

The next list of the best majors starting with the last of the best “Medical Assisting Service” and ending with the best Pharmacy and Pharmacology. (Working at the local Walgreens could be a good thing.)

 Taking the same approach and using the same data base of the 100 most popular college majors, came up with the top ten best using data from Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce and Payscale.com.

10. Medical Assisting Service

Unemployment rate: 2.9% (Average for all grads with a bachelor’s degree: 4.9%)
Unemployment rate for recent grads: 5.4% (Average for top 100 majors: 7.7%)
Median salary: $51,000 (Median for all grads with bachelor’s: $54,756)
Median salary for recent grads: $43,000 (Median for top 100 majors: $37,000)
Projected job growth for this field, 2010–2020: 31% (Average: 14%)

9. Management Information Systems

 
Unemployment rate: 4.2%
Unemployment rate for recent grads: 7.4%
Median salary: $71,000
Median salary for recent grads: $51,000
Projected job growth for this field, 2010–2020: 18%

8. Construction Services

 
Unemployment rate: 5.4%
Unemployment rate for recent grads: N/A
Median salary: $65,000
Median salary for recent grads: $50,200
Projected job growth for this field, 2010–2020: 17%

7. Medical Technologies

Unemployment rate: 1.4%
Unemployment rate for recent grads: 5.4%
Median salary: $58,000
Median salary for recent grads: $45,100
Projected job growth for this field, 2010–2020: 13%

 
6. Electrical Engineering

Unemployment rate: 5.0%
Unemployment rate for recent grads: 7.3%
Median salary: $86,000
Median salary for recent grads: $57,000
Projected job growth for this field, 2010–2020: 6%

 
5. Chemical Engineering

Unemployment rate: 3.8%
Unemployment rate for recent grads: 7.5%
Median salary: $86,000
Median salary for recent grads: $64,500
Projected job growth for this field, 2010–2020: 6%

4. Treatment Therapy Professions

Unemployment rate: 2.6%
Unemployment rate for recent grads: 5.4%
Median salary: $62,000
Median salary for recent grads: $60,400
Projected job growth for this field, 2010–2020: 33%

3. Transportation Sciences and Technology

Unemployment rate: 4.4%
Unemployment rate for recent grads: N/A
Median salary: $68,000
Median salary for recent grads: $53,100
Projected job growth for this field, 2010–2020: 5%

 
2. Nursing

Unemployment rate: 2.2%
Unemployment rate for recent grads: 4.0%
Median salary: $60,000
Median salary for recent grads: $48,000
Projected job growth for this field, 2010–2020: 26%

1. Pharmacy and Pharmacology

Unemployment rate: 3.2%
Unemployment rate for recent grads: 5.4%
Median salary: $105,000
Median salary for recent grads: $51,200
Projected job growth for this field, 2010–2020: 25%

The fact of the matter when selecting a course of study, it is not just about the money you will make, but when you consider of all the under-graduate degrees you have to chose from why not pick one you will both enjoy and also be able to make a living doing it.