It’s not hard to make decisions once you are clear about where you want to be. Every step on your journey towards a prosperous career is filled with tough decisions to make. If you decide to take up higher studies in the United States you are on the right path . The USA has some of the most flexible study programs but deciding upon what to pursue could be tricky. One of such major decisions that could shape your future is deciding upon which concentration or major to choose. The most valuable college majors could provide lucrative jobs and career opportunities. The most valuable degrees in the world are available at top universities across the United States of America, all you need is to fulfill their requirements.
In this blog:
1. List of most popular majors
2. Things to consider – while deciding a major
Choosing the best college majors can be a taxing task as there are pathora of major and minor areas to pick from but don’t you worry we are here to help you. Still wondering, how many majors are there in US colleges? Let’s go through some of the most popular college majors in the USA.
List of most popular majors in the USA
Architectural Engineering
Architectural engineers are professionals that take up the design, planning, operation of engineered systems and construction for various types of buildings. These are similar to civil engineers in terms of specializations and tasks, but also feature differences which make the career in the architectural engineering field distinct. The median annual income for architectural engineers stays around $90,000.
Biomedical Engineering
Biomedical engineering could prepare you for fields such as manufacturing, medical device development, and research. They are developers that solve medical problems with development, design and manufacturing of medical devices. The requirement in the field is on an all time high and expected to boost upto 4% worldwide in coming years. The median annual income for biomedical engineers is around $88,550.
Computer Science and Information Technology
The most widely popular college major in the USA and around the world and in the United States is computer science. Most of the top universities in the USA offer one of the best college majors – computer science as the industry is set to get a massive boost and influx with constantly rising requirements. It is projected to grow by 12 % in the next 5-6 years. The median annual income of a student with a computer science major could be around $83,320. The students who choose the major in computer science use various computational processes to build websites, programs and various complex tasks.
Computer science engineering and software engineering may seem similar but they are quite different. Both are majors with high -income prospects. A student with a computer engineering major learns to create, assess, and implement a wide range of computer software and hardware with the use of mathematics, physics, and computer science. Computer science engineering is one of the most valuable degrees in the world. The annual median annual income of Computer science engineers is $114,600.
To those you just want to be focused on software with a major in software engineering turn into high in demand software engineers. The field which grows at a rapid rate is expected to be around 21% growth in the upcoming 5-6 years. An average income of a high level software engineering graduate stays around $103,620. Software engineering is one of the most valuable college majors.
What is the #1 major in the US?
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Finance
A major in finance provides multiple career opportunities for graduates with job opportunities as an accountant, financial advisor, or financial analyst. The students could further opt for MBA specializations and executive MBA’s to propel their career growth. The financial sector is expected to grow at the rate of 7% in the next 5-6 years which is much faster than most other careers. The median annual income for finance professionals is estimated to be around $68,350.
Civil Engineering
The ever growing infrastructure and construction sector provides massive opportunities for Civil engineers. Students with civil engineering majors learn to develop, build and oversee the creation of infrastructure systems like construction projects. The civil engineer employment is expected to grow by 6% in the upcoming 5-6 years. The average annual income of civil engineers stays around $86,640.
Remember, the purpose of this list is not to discourage someone to choose a career in the field they are passionate about, instead we are just informing the aspirants about the steps that could lead to a secure financial future. The key is striking a balance between financial benefits and your passion.
As STEM majors provide best return on investment, they should be your preferred choice but for those who are from arts background could choose various art and alliteration majors which could lead to a stable and profitable career in your area of interest. Consider field like
- Communication and journalism
- Foreign languages, linguistics and comparative literature
- English language and literature
- Liberal arts and humanities
- Visual and performing arts
These could be wonderful options if you are looking for subject majors other than the popular STEM majors.
Things to consider – while deciding a major
The most popular majors are mostly in the STEM fields – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Consider pursuing a major in a subject related to these fields to get best return on your investment, and high paying jobs opportunities. The rest depends upon your personal choice, background and what you aspire to be in the future.
Here are some of the major factors that need to be considered before deciding upon the subject major.
Educational Availability –
The availability of courses is important. You must know which university offers your desired concentration, along with the details of the major subject and what could be the minors that will work well with the selected concentration.
Educational Affordability –
Based on the program and major you choose the tuition fees may vary depending on the university. While targeting a particular university you must be aware of the financial affordability of the desired major.
Know more about the top universities in US and various programs and major available.
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Earnings Potential –
The earning potential of the most popular college major in the USA is pivotal to the choice of major by most international students. The return on investment is what makes them the most valuable college majors.
Employment Opportunity –
The most important factor on which selection of major depends upon is employment opportunities available. The STEM major provides a maximum number of job opportunities with a high pay scale. But as the United States is the land of opportunity there are massive opportunities in other majors as well, all you need to do is explore your options and be clear about your purpose for choosing a major.
The most popular majors don’t guarantee high paying jobs, it’s your skill, knowledge and temperament that does. So, choose what you feel inclined towards but keep in mind the financial aspect as study abroad is quite an investment and a prosperous career should be your return. Jamboree is with you on every step of the way from getting a good score in SAT, GRE or GMAT to pondering upon universities, programs and majors to select. Talk to our admission counsellors to know more about what program and major to target and what you need to do to get into top universities in the United States with Jamboree.