You no doubt have given at least some thought to what you want to do when you get out of college. You’ll have time to decide on your major and career (and you may change your mind a few times!) but it may be helpful to start thinking about where you want to be in five or 10 years.
CHOOSING YOUR MAJOR: NOW OR LATER?
You may be asking yourself: Do I really need to know right now at age 15 16 or 17 what I want to major in? The answer is a resounding “definitely not.”
If you’re focused on a particular career then knowing what you’d like to major in will help you choose a college. Some programs such as engineering require you to plan your undergraduate course of study very carefully and specifically. You’d want to select a school that offers an engineering program—not all colleges do. Or maybe you’re certain that you’d like to be in the fine arts; knowing that will help you focus your college search on art schools specifically or on colleges with strong arts programs. Other majors like business and accounting are offered at most colleges and universities.
But if you only have a vague idea about what you’d like to major in or you’d like to take a few classes in different areas before deciding that’s OK too. In that case you’d do well to choose colleges with a liberal arts curriculum that will allow you (and even require you) to take a variety of classes in math science social sciences and the humanities before you commit to a major.
IMAGINING A FUTURE FINDING A BALANCE
Everyone has their own definition of success. When it comes to choosing a college major and possible career path you may imagine your future success. Ask yourself which of the following would be most important to you: Job satisfaction? Making the most money? Making a difference in the lives of others? Chances are that there’s more than one thing that’s important to you.
Then you need to start thinking about priorities. A degree in an in-demand major will likely land you a high-paying job but it may require more years of schooling (and perhaps more student loans). If you don’t like what you’ll be doing you’re unlikely to be happy even if you’re making more money. Life’s too short to focus on salary alone.
On the other hand if you have always had a passion for teaching earn your degree in education and go on to teach you might find that a lower salary is far outweighed by the fact that you’re making a significant impact on children’s lives. You’re measuring your career success on the lives you’re improving and that you love what you do. But will you be entirely happy if money is always a concern?
You’ll need to find the balance that works for you. In 1989 Marsha Sinetar published a book called Do What You Love The Money Will Follow. It still sells well nearly 25 years later. Doing what you love is probably the best advice you’ll get when it comes to choosing a major and career.
Yes times have changed since 1989 and perhaps you feel a greater pressure to support yourself (and maybe other family members) upon graduation than the generation before you. You may have some guilt about your college loans or have seen the effects of a parent’s unemployment or the unexpected loss of a pension due to corporate bankruptcies. But don’t shortchange yourself with a career you hate. Besides the more you love what you do the more likely you are to advance and succeed. It’s hard to be successful in any field if you don’t have a passion for it.
MORE FACTORS TO CONSIDER
How many times have you heard from a parent or teacher “Just because everyone is doing it doesn’t mean you should”? The same old saw rings true when choosing a major. You may see lists of data showing the most in-demand or most popular majors. But don’t choose a major based solely on numbers. English and art may not be the majors with the highest rate of hiring but the world still needs writers thinkers and creators. And most employers value the communication and “people” skills that many liberal arts majors have.
You might also be torn between two passions. Maybe you love physics—but you are also intrigued by economics. You love writing—but also math. If you organize your course of study carefully when you get to college you can have two majors. That can even be an advantage when you graduate and hit the marketplace. Employers will see that you not only have deep knowledge of two areas but they’ll also see that you were able to manage your time successfully during college. Also a strong background in two areas can prepare you well for many jobs that other candidates may not be as qualified to take on. For example pharmaceutical companies need people with strong backgrounds in science and communications. Finance companies need people who can write well and understand numbers.
PROFESSIONAL CAREERS AND GRADUATE DEGREES
If you know you want to pursue a professional career such as medicine dentistry nursing physical therapy pharmacy or law then you might consider colleges with a high rate of acceptance into professional or graduate schools or with a high job placement rate in the fields you’re interested in. Keep in mind that there’s no such thing as a “pre-med” or “pre-health” major. Pre-med is more of a set of requirements—such as courses in biology chemistry and math—needed to get accepted into medical and other health care career professional or graduate schools. (Likewise there’s no such major as “pre-law.” But unlike pre-med there is no prerequisite coursework for law school. College graduates with majors in almost anything—history political science English etc.—can go on to law school.)
You also should consider the extra schooling along with the time and cost involved involved in pursuing a professional or graduate degree as well as state licensing requirements. If you’ve got a real passion for a something the extra time and cost may be worth it in terms of job satisfaction and financial rewards.
WILL YOU BE HAPPY GOING TO WORK?
Still not convinced that there are multiple factors beyond salary to consider when choosing a career path? Consider this: English majors whose median pay is around $440 report the same level of job satisfaction as professionals in other industries making far more money.** See the chart below for the satisfaction level of graduates with other majors.
No matter what occupation career or profession you choose you’ll determine your own measure of success—and it may not even directly correlate with your degree. As with any aspect of life you don’t find happiness you create it!
** SOURCE: “College Majors Handbook” (Jist Works July 1 2012)
Amai Stevenson is a freelance writer in Colorado.
SHOW ME THE MONEY
Wondering what the best bang for your buck will be major-wise? Here are the average starting salaries of people graduating with bachelor’s degrees in a variety of majors.
Engineering………………………… $60,639
Computer Sciences……………… $60,038
Business…………………………….. $51,541
Health Sciences…………………… $46,567
Math & Sciences………………….. $42,355
Communications………………….. $42,286
Education……………………………. $39,080
Humanities & Social Sciences.. $36,824
Source: Sept. 2012 Salary Survey National Association of Colleges and Employers. All data are for bachelor’s degree graduates.
GOT SATISFACTION?
“How satisfied are you with your current career path?” That was the question. Here are the majors and percent of college graduates answering “Satisfied” or “Very Satisfied”:
Chemical Engineering 54%
Management Information Systems 54%
Accounting 50%
Advertising 50%
International Business 49%
Biology 48%
Business 48%
Health Care Administration 48%
Computer Science 48%
Engineering 47%
Finance 47%
Civil Engineering 46%
History 44%
Political Science 44%
English 44%
Communications 43%
Marketing 43%
Source: PayScale.com 2010
