The Most Popular College Majors; Undergrad, Grad & Doctoral
Finding a college major can be one of the most daunting tasks involved in
attending college, and if you intend to go on to graduate school or a professional
degree program, you might find yourself going through the process more than once.
After all, everything from college scholarships
to job opportunities to starting salaries can depend on the major you select. With
all the soul-searching and tough questions involved in
choosing your major, it can be nice to have a solid, factual basis from
which to start, such as a list of the most popular college majors.
When determining your course of study, it can be helpful to find out the most popular
college majors. However, you should not
choose a college major just because it is popular or convenient. After all,
the last thing you want to do is become a business major just to qualify for
corporate scholarships.On the other hand, graduating with an obscure and
out-of-demand major can leave you with limited post-graduation prospects. You don’t
want to realize too late that a second major in history or education would have
helped open up more career opportunities for your Latin degree. Selecting a major
is a personal decision that should be based on a combination of your aptitudes and
preferences, as well as consideration of which majors are likely to be in demand
when you complete your studies.
According to a 2007 report published by the U.S. Department of Education, National
Center for Education Statistics, the most popular college majors at the bachelor’s
degree level include:
The largest numbers of master’s degrees were awarded in the following fields:
The most popular doctoral degrees include:
- Education
- Engineering
- Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- Psychology
Note: These data are based on the percentage of undergraduate and graduate degrees
conferred during the 2004-2005 school year.