Choosing what to study in college can feel like one of the biggest decisions of your life. After all, your major seems to hold the weight of your future career, your income, and maybe even your happiness.
But here’s the thing: While your major matters in certain ways depending on your goals, it’s not the only thing that matters. And many people end up in careers that don’t directly match their college major.
So if you’re asking yourself, “What should I study in college?”—the better question might be, “What do I value, what do I want my life to look like, and how can my major align with that?”
Below, we’ll break down the key factors to consider—career options, income potential, personal interests, and the role of skills and experiences—so you can make a choice that feels both practical and meaningful.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(click to skip ahead)A Quick Note on the Common Advice of “Follow Your Passion”
You’ve likely heard “follow your passion” a lot. We did at least when we were heading to college.
But to be blunt, here’s our take: “Pursue your passion” is kinda bad advice.
Passions change.
Some people find a new passion every couple years. And “follow your passion” actually reflects a fixed mindset, instead of a growth mindset—passions and interests are things you develop, often through hard work and obstacles.
And “follow” or “find” your passion makes it sound like there’s something out there, waiting for you, like you’re a rat in a maze and somewhere, somewhere, there’s cheese waiting for you.
So what do you do instead?
Pursue your values. Follow your curiosity. Reflect on what you want your life to have looked like when you look back on it.
To that end, we love to encourage our students to work through this Values Exercise as a starting point.
And then, spend some time exploring these 10 things below.
Define what you’re curious about.
Are there particular (social) problems that are especially intriguing to you? How important is it to you to have some kind of impact? And at what scale (Local? Global?)
What do you feel are your strongest talents, interests, and skills? (And are there some that aren’t necessarily your strongest, but that you enjoy the most?)
To what degree can a given major open many career opportunities in areas that inspire your curiosity?
To what degree are income and wealth important to you?
Consider the classes you enjoy and do well in—how well do those interests and strengths align?
How intense is the workload of the major/s you’re considering (and are you up for it)?
Are you considering grad school? Do some degrees set you up better than others?
Does this path offer room to grow?
What do you want your life to look like in 5, 10, and 20 years? How does a given degree possibly help you build that life?
That last one is good to take some extra time with: What are your big life (and lifestyle) goals?
And as best you can, try to focus on what yours are, not your parents’, or your friends’, or your cultures’—it can be tough to not be impacted by those things, but ultimately, to state something seemingly obvious: you’re the one that lives your life.
Before we dive in to ways that your major can impact things, an important reminder: in many cases, you don’t actually have to be certain what you want to major in before you start college. Some schools let you wait to declare a major until the end of your freshman or sophomore year.
And changing majors is fine. And pretty common.
That said, it’s useful to have at least a bit of a plan, or to understand where not having a plan might lead you.
How Does College Major Affect Career Options?
Some careers are more (perhaps far more) degree-dependent than others, so there’s not a one size fits all answer here. Your college major can open (or limit) doors depending on the field you want to enter.
Some careers can be pretty degree-dependent: If you’re hoping to become a civil engineer, it’s pretty tough to do so without a civil engineering degree.
You can roughly break things down into direct pathways to specialized careers, flexible pathways (which are more about transferable skills you gain), and grad or professional school pathways (like law school or med school or an MBA).
Specialized careers like engineering, accounting, nursing, or computer science often require specific degrees. If you want to be a civil engineer, majoring in English won’t get you there.
Flexible careers (marketing, consulting, project management, nonprofit work) often care less about what you studied and more about what you learned: critical thinking, communication, leadership, and adaptability.
Graduate school pathways sometimes care more about your GPA and skills than your exact major. For example, you don’t have to major in political science to go to law school.
Perceptions concerning degrees can also play into what first jobs you get after attaining your degree—an econ or business major might make you perceived as a stronger candidate for finance or consulting roles, for example.
Keep in mind that beyond your first job, the impact of your major tends to fade, and your skills, experience, and network become more and more important.
Key Takeaway: If you know you want a specific career (engineer, nurse, etc.), major in the required field. If you’re unsure, maybe choose a major that develops transferable skills and keeps options open.
How Does Your Major Affect Your Income?
It’s no secret that some majors correlate with higher salaries than others. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Georgetown University (from 2016, so not accounting for increases/inflation/etc.) show clear differences.
(For example, top-paying majors can earn about $3.4 million more than the lowest paying majors over a lifetime.)
High-paying majors (on average): Engineering, computer science, business, and economics.
Moderate-paying majors: Biology, psychology, political science, and communications.
Lower-paying majors: Education, social work, art, and performing arts.
In general, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), health, and business majors are the highest paying, according to Georgetown’s report, leading to average annual wages of $37,000 or more at the entry level and an average of $65,000 or more annually over the course of a recipient’s career.
And according to that report, the 10 majors with the lowest median earnings are: early childhood education ($39,000); human services and community organization ($41,000); studio arts, social work, teacher education, and visual and performing arts ($42,000); theology and religious vocations, and elementary education ($43,000); drama and theater arts and family and community service ($45,000).
Keep in mind: average income isn’t destiny. Some philosophy majors become CEOs. Some computer science majors end up burned out and underpaid.
But also be wary of just assuming you’ll be the exception—if income is important to you, make informed choices.
Takeaway: Your major can definitely influence your income. Other factors like skills, networking, location, and opportunities also matter.
What Majors Make the Most Money on Average?
If maximizing salary is your top priority, here are the majors that consistently rank at the top:
Engineering disciplines (petroleum, chemical, electrical, computer engineering)
Computer science and data science
Economics and finance
Nursing and health sciences (though these may plateau faster than tech or business)
Though keep in mind, right now, it’s unclear how things like AI will affect things like entry level computer science jobs.
What Majors Pay the Least?
On the other end, the majors with the lowest average earnings include:
Education (early childhood, elementary, arts education)
Social work
Performing arts (theater, music, dance)
Hospitality and tourism
Important note: Many students choose these majors intentionally, because they value impact, service, or creative expression more than income. And that’s a completely valid choice.
How to Weigh Income vs. Life Satisfaction vs. Curiosity or Joy
This is the real heart of the question: “What should I study in college if I care about both money and meaning?”
A helpful framework to get you going:
Income: How important is financial security to me? Will this major give me the level of financial security I want?
Curiosity/joy: Do I genuinely enjoy this subject enough to spend four years studying it? And then maybe many years doing work in this area many hours per week?
Life Satisfaction: Will this field allow me to build the kind of life I imagine—balanced, purposeful, fulfilling? How well does this field align with my values—for example, how important is something like “adventure” to me?
Keep in mind, you don’t have to find meaning in your work—some people want this. Others (like Andy, the guy writing this—hi.) believe that it’s better to build a meaningful life through lots of different things outside of work, and if you can find meaning in work, great, bonus points, but meaning isn’t required in work.
Some students rank income first (especially if financial security is a core value). Others rank curiosity first (especially if they know they’d feel miserable doing something they don’t enjoy).
How Do Skills and Experience Affect Your Career Trajectory?
Here’s some good news: even if you’re worried you’ll “choose wrong,” skills and experience after college often matter more than your major.
In fact, a 2013 study conducted by the Association of American Colleges and Universities found that 93% of the employers surveyed believed that critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills were more important than a candidate’s undergraduate major.
Internships and research give you real-world experience.
Networking can open doors regardless of your degree title.
Soft skills (leadership, writing, problem-solving) are in demand across industries.
Graduate school or certifications can pivot you into new fields later.
In other words, your major is a foundation—but what you build on top of it often matters more.
(If you want to read more about ways your major may not matter in the ways you think, head here.)
A (More) Nuanced Way to Choose Your Major
Instead of seeing your major as a life sentence, think of it as a launchpad.
Here are some steps to start launching:
Clarify your values. Do you care most about financial stability, helping others, or following your curiosity/joy? Adventure? Safety? Impact?
Research careers. Look up job projections, salaries, and real-life stories. (BLS.gov and O*NET are great places to start.)
Experiment. Take intro classes in different fields. Shadow professionals if you can. Try part-time jobs or summer programs.
Talk it out. Advisors, mentors, parents, peers, or former classmates can offer perspectives you might not see.
Stay flexible. Many students switch majors. Many professionals reinvent their careers multiple times. (And some careers cease to exist, while others that exist now didn’t 10 years ago.)
Bottom line: The question “What should I study in college?” is really about aligning your studies with your values, your strengths, and the kind of life you want to create.
Spend time figuring those things out. Let your major follow them.
FAQ
Q: What should I study in college if I don’t know my career yet?
A: Choose a major that builds transferable skills—things like communications, business, or psychology can help you do that—while exploring electives to discover your interests.
Q: How does my college major affect my future career?
A: For some careers (engineering, nursing, accounting), your major is pretty essential. For others, your skills, internships, and experiences may matter more than your degree title.
Q: Which college majors make the most money?
A: Engineering, computer science, and economics consistently rank highest in earning potential. See section above for greater detail.
Q: Which college majors pay the least?
A: Education, social work, and performing arts majors typically earn less, though many graduates in these fields find high life satisfaction. Again, see section above for greater detail.
Andrew Simpson, CEG’s Editorial Director, has worked as an educator, consultant, and curriculum writer for the past 20 years, and earned degrees from Stanford in Political Science and Drama. He feels most at home on mountain tops and in oceans.
Top Values: Insight/Growth | Truth | Integrity
