A new article by the New York Times took a look at which schools and majors paid off the most with some interesting results. Obviously you have big name schools like Harvard, MIT, Duke, and Princeton doing well, but it mostly showed that your major is the driving factor in earnings. Here are the highest average earning programs in the country 4 years after graduating, with more detail in the full NYT tool.

Hey everyone, I'm looking at different degree paths and I'm considering signing up for a bachelor's degree in Environmental Management, and continuing for a masters or higher if needed, but I was wondering if it's worth the time, effort, and money? For reference I'm 27 years old with only a basic A.A. degree, prior Army service, and currently work for Amtrak. I make around 66k with what I do now so I'd ideally like to make that or more once I achieve my degree. I was recently doing research on Wildlife Biologists and thought that or something similar might align with my interests. I was also looking at Environmental Engineering as a possibility too but I was under the impression that's a more math heavy degree and I'm honestly not great when it comes to that.

Any tips and input would be appreciated and if anyone has other suggestions on different degree paths or other possibilities for careers with a these different degrees that would be helpful, thanks!

Últimamente lo de escoger una carrera me tiene muy estresada y más que en mi país no tengo muchas opciones,por lo general soy una estudiante con un promedio alto (98.8) y si tengo que estudiar no me molesta,pero he de admitir que mi problema viene en que no soy la mejor en matemáticas,o sea no me va mal pero no es mi fuerte, sin embargo me apasiona mucho la física y estaba pensando en carreras como física pura ya que acá no se estudia ingeniería física y también estaba pensando en otras opciones de ingieneria, mi pregunta viene al hecho de que si mi dificultad por matemática podría condicionarme el desarrollo de la carrera.

Ojo:Nunca he suspendido un examen de matemáticas y tampoco he tenido baja nota en ellos ,simplemente no me ge dedicado mucho a entender las mates para ser sincera.

Les agradecería la opinión, lo leo ;)

I'm currently in school for biology. I initially went because I wanted to work in conservation. But after a lot of deliberation, I decided its not a good fit.

1.) I know its a difficult industry to get into

2.) Even if I got into it, I don't think I could mentally handle it. I don't want to spend 40 years fighting for changes I have no power to change making no money at all

So for the last semester, I've been sticking it out because I thought I'd get my batchlors in this and get a high paying job that ill probably hate, but it'll be fine for the money.

And then I realized a batchlors in bio doesnt make a lot of money. I don't like doing this and don't want finish it let alone go on to get a doctorate/phd/masters in it.

So, I decided I want to change my major. But I don't know what to do, luckily im at a community College thats covering everything right now, so I think its best to decide now rather than at uni.

I have a fair few connections within family in the buisness scene. I won't clarify specifically but I know higher ups in both a large cleaning/perfume company as well as a large toy company.

I'm pretty good in my science classes, I like them and have a lot of fun doing this, but I'm ok leaving it behind

Im bad at math. I have a learning disability that makes it more difficult. If I stay on track with bio im meant to take physics next semester and I dont want to do that. So probably nothing in engineering lol

And I'm way better in all my other subjects, despite this being sloppily written I got fives on all my AP English classes in high-school, 4's and 5's for other APs like psych and history, idk if that matters

I think I'm pretty charismatic, I like to work with people, I'm very creative and good at solving problems from odd angles, idk.

I want something pretty safe, where I can grow and make a decent living, along with be relatively happy with my work. Maybe have a bit of time to work on personal projects such as my writing and art :)).

TLDR: Im majoring in bio but hate it. Trying to figure out what's out there, maybe buisness? That feels very broad, and I wouldn't really know where to go.

Thank you so much!

So im highly debating getting a degree in biology and and then working in clinical research, but I’m also considering working in civil engineering and getting my degree in that personally I think that clinical research is a bit interesting but after doing a bit more research, it may not align with my lifestyle goals and I also think that a biology degree may not give other good career options while civil engineering has really good job security and I do think it would be interesting to do something that has real world impact and problem-solving the only issue is that I’m not the strongest math student as I’m a senior and still haven’t taken pre-calculus but I do think that I could get through it looking online I’ve heard some pretty bad things about the clinical research industry right now, but the two people I talk to in person haven’t really said much about it, but I still don’t know if that industry aligns with my goals for what I want my life to be like and this is something that I’ve been thinking about a lot and if anyone else has any good input, that would help me out a lot thank you. (Run on sentence because I used speech to text)

Genuinely dont know what to major in

highschool really did pass by in the blink of an eye. still dont know what i should major in. Im currently aiming to be an electrical eng and am currently studying for my physics/ math nat exams, but theyre kicking my ass.....

i have no passion for engineering other than for that fat check.

another major i have on my list is finance (Parent's pick)

so i can get a job at the Ministry of Finance? (direct translation from my native language) i do feel kinda iffy about becoming a goverment worker tho, since i hate my country (Southeast asia) barely barely narrows it down lmao.

My dream job is lazing around like a bum while still being financially stable...... doubt this exists unless i sell a fake course or something. but i have my morals.

honestly dont even know why i added this part.

I’m a current sophomore at UNCC who next year will be able to declare a major. I’ve always enjoyed the idea of business management whether it be at a movie theatre or ideally the corporate world. Though through taking accounting I kinda like it, and it sounds better for job market and pay. Idk from someone with no corporate experience, is management a viable option today?

for context I’m currently a junior at a college with a top ten business school and engineering school. I was undecided until i was a sophomore, when i switched to finance. at this time I felt scared of falling behind, so I decided to chose the major that most of the people I already knew were in. In my mind I was thinking that I know i’m pretty smart, and I’m capable of doing anything. but, i slowly realized that wasn’t the environment i saw myself spending the rest of my career in. Being good at school was always something i liked to pride myself on, and In highschool i surrounded myself with people like that, who had actual ambitions. long story short, I realized I hated that major. I’m a fall junior, and i just realized that I may want to change my major. electrical engineering is something that I could see highschool me doing if that makes sense. My family has high standards for me which is why i’m conflicted if I can should or if i even can change to ee. my parents are paying for my tuition and this would likely add atleast 2.5 years to my college graduation date. has anyone experienced something like that? or if anyone has been in college for longer than the expected amount? I’m scared of being out of place being the oldest in my classes. And i’m scared that this is a stupid thought/decision. Also, I have a 4.0 in finance I don’t think it challenges me. How far of a jump do you think that is to take? Will i look crazy or will i be able to realistically handle it

Hi all! I’m currently in the college application process, and I’m also in the running for a full scholarship to Vanderbilt. I was wondering, for students interested in entrepreneurship, law, and/or finance, would HOD or Economics be the better major? Also, how much support does Vanderbilt offer for students interested in these fields, particularly in terms of internships, networking, and career opportunities? I’d appreciate any insight!

Hi guys this is my last year of high school and after graduation im thinking about two majors ,Like i said in the title could experts recommend one and why ?"

I'm going to college next year and am probably going to attend a school with a really solid international relations program and good connections to DC. As a graduate, I want to work in anything ranging from international development to working on The Hill to government consulting, something in that domain, somewhat public policy focused and less technical of a job.

The school I'll probably be going to doesn't require students to declare a real Major until end of sophomore year, but I still wanted to think about this now; I'm curious if there's any point in planning on minoring in something that, as a standalone major, is seen as more lucrative. Would it actually increase my job or my pay ceiling options to major in International Relations but minor in something such as either statistics, data science, economics, or something of that nature, STEM oriented? I don't enjoy those very much as fields of study (econ's kinda cool actually), but I know that as a general Major those can make a lot more money. And, as I said before, I'm planning on working in a career that is a lot less 'numbers driven', but would having some of those baseline skills be something that could actually help me out? If it would be worth it, I could definitely suffer through it in college lol

i want to be an animator but know that not everything works out in life, would i be safe if i didnt become the animator i wanted to be if i still presued into fine arts degree, i heard art and design has a bigger saftey net for jobs but i want to focus on animation, computer tech, and art. this is from someone coming from north carolina if that helps with anything.

right now I'm majoring in applied math. I chose it because in high school I really enjoyed math and I was good at it but I didn't really know what career I wanted yet. I was also good at chemistry and physics and so last year I tried engineering but the workload was too much for me so I switched to applied math. now I feel like I really wanna go into the IT field but I absolutely hate coding.

i'm thinking about switching to business technology management (aka MIS) because it would go towards a career I would want, but at the same time I feel like I might find the courses boring since it's in BCom and not STEM. what's some advice? should I choose something else that I'll enjoy studying more?

Double majoring sounds appealing when you can’t decide between 2 fields, but it also means a heavier course load and less room for electives or internships. For those who did it, did the second major open doors, or would 1 major plus a minor have been enough? I’d like to hear from people who considered it and decided against it too.

So, I’m a current high school senior applying to colleges and for the most part I’ve been marking myself down as undecided because I’m not really sure what major I exactly want to do because my strongest skills have always been humanities related classes such as history and english but I’m drawn more towards STEM majors. Maybe because I’m worried about the doom posting abt humanities mixed with a bit of genuine interest.

I’m not bad at STEM classes in school but always held a bit of dislike for them until I started taking applied math courses such as discrete math and data science but maybe that’s because the teachers graded easily.

I do like computers and technology too but I don’t have any exceptional skills or any skills at all when it comes to working with hardware and software compared to the genius freshmen that go to my school. Most I can do is mod old handhelds and torrent anime.

Overall Im just worried I’ll choose a major and end up in a field that’s either unfulfilling and pays like crap or a “successful” field that I absolutely hate. Or one that is too hard. I would hate to pay so much money for college and fail. Probably one of my biggest fears.

It’s not that I don’t have any ideas of what I might choose, but that I have TOO many ideas. Again maybe because I’m so caught up in dooming. I do plan on doing some internships when I turn 18 to dip my toes in the water but for now I just have to play the waiting game.

Isn't a communications degree good for going into public relations, human resources, or marketing jobs? Yes, I know that you could major in one of those/a specific one; however, wouldn't it be beneficial to major in something broader so that your options are kept open and you're not stuck in one pathway?

Any thoughts or experiences regarding a communications degree are appreciated!

24, have been in and out of community college since 20. gpa is in the gutter and I'm currently trying to raise it. I'm pursuing an associate of science. I'd like to graduate college someday. I'm halfway to completing my associates. I'm a first gen student and I want to be proud of myself by having a degree.

I don't feel passionate about engineering, healthcare, education, construction, or business. no, I don't have any interest in joining the military so don't bother recommending. no, I don't want to do trades. no, I don't want anything to do with AI/IT/tech. no, I'm not bothering with finance either. no, I don't want to work for ATC.

I'll try giving the BLS occupation outlook another read. I've already tried speaking with counselors and have taken many career assessments. I'm tired of this cycle.

I just want a job that gives me stability and gives me work/life balance. I want to be able to have my own place someday. what the fuck do I even do. I finally qualified for financial aid this year, so I have funds. I secured a good part time job (costco). now I'm tryna figure out the next step. I live at home and don't pay bills except for myself and my cats. I'm already at an advantage and don't want to throw it away. I already have wasted my early twenties fighting a mental war.

I don't want to fall into past habits again. I just want to live. I already deal with suicidal ideation and existential dread and just want to breathe. I despise dealing with uncertainty and it's annoying as fuck. and then having to work for 40 years which takes up a lot of our whole lives? what if I don't make it to 60 to retire? what if I'm gone by 30? how do we keep going when it's sleep, work and repeat? yada yada, these are thoughts that come to my mind.

I wanna work as little as possible (who doesn't) so I can enjoy my existence. but I gotta be able to afford my lifestyle and my ideal lifestyle isn't owning mansions and yachts. anyway, the reason I'm posting is because I'd like to seek advice on people who have gone through similar thought processes like I am going through and have found something. what helped you pick your major? I'm in dire need of help

Please don't tell me "don't" or I "can't"
I want to find a way to do it if there is one, but I'm a little lost in the process because I understand it's really complicated. Any help would be so greatly appreciated.

Edit: I'm not in college yet, so I don't have an advisor I can just talk too. That's why I'm trying to get more info here. Thanks!!

I’m currently a junior nursing major at Dominican University, and I’m seriously considering switching to biology for spring 2027 because I don’t think nursing is the right fit for me. I’m more interested in the medical/science side of healthcare and want to eventually become a PA.
I have 81 completed credits and am taking 13 right now, so I’ll have around 94 credits by the end of this semester. My university requires 124 credits to graduate, and I’d really like to graduate in May 2028. I’m willing to take one summer class if needed, and my GPA is around a 3.85.
I’ve already taken General Biology I, General Chemistry I, A&P I and II, Microbiology, Statistics, Psychology, and Pathophysiology. However, I’d still need courses like Biology II, Chemistry II, organic chemistry, genetics, physics, and other upper-level biology courses.
Has anyone switched majors this late and still graduated on time? I’m also considering finishing my BSN and taking any missing PA prerequisites afterward, but I’d rather switch out of nursing if possible. I’m feeling really stuck and would appreciate hearing from anyone who’s been in a similar situation. Is graduating on time realistic, or am I underestimating the course requirements?

For any recent grads in the life sciences, is the market as bad as most have been saying? I’ve been feeling so much doubt with my biology major right now, and no amount of career or academic advising has been helping.

For a brief moment I feel excited to pursue this path when talking to career and academic advisors, but once those meetings are over I feel so much dread. In high school this felt like the best choice for me, but the idea of not working within my field makes my heart sink. I’ve dedicated so much time towards it and I’ve always envisioned myself working in the science industry.

I was fine with grad school freshman year and sophomore year, but as a junior I don’t even want to go back to school if I don’t have to, which I know I will. I feel like I wasted so much time and I may not even get paid enough to support a future family. My business and finance major friends seem a bit more optimistic, and my engineering friends seem to have it all figured out. God.

Anyways, any advice is appreciated.

I don’t know if it’s just the initial adjustment to university, but I feel like I’m wasting my time. I already feel like I’m behind everyone else my age, and I’ve enrolled in Political Science, with the option to specialize in Sustainable Development starting in my second year.
Ideally, I’d like to work in environmental protection or something related to the environment in general. The problem is that subjects like Sociology and Contemporary History make me feel like I’m studying things that are basically useless. Don’t get me wrong, they’re interesting in their own way, and I actually enjoy history, but my professor doesn’t even seem particularly interested in teaching it.
Macroeconomics, on the other hand, has been surprisingly interesting, even though I’ve never been good at math. That’s actually one of the main reasons I ruled out so many degree programs without giving them much thought. Maybe it’s because economics feels more connected to the real world? I’m not really sure.
I guess what I’m wondering is whether this is just part of adjusting to university life. Maybe it’s just the initial anxiety or the shock of starting something new.
Has anyone else felt this way when they first started university? Does it get better, or is this a sign that I might be on the wrong path?
What y’all think?

Business seems like an obvious one, since a lot of film and music work comes down to budgets, contracts, and pitching your own projects. Communications or marketing could also make sense for anyone planning to promote their own work. For anyone who paired a creative major with a minor, which one ended up being worth it?

For people a few years into school or already working, which way did you go and how do you feel about it now? Did studying something you enjoyed end up helping your career in ways you didn’t expect, or did choosing the more hireable option make the job search easier after graduation?

Hi everyone, I’m a senior in highschool applying to colleges, and my stats are not amazing so I’m going to a public university. I am stuck in between choosing psychology and accounting. I’ve had an interest in psychology for as long as I can remember, more on the research and neuroscience aspects than clinical.
Psych has been my only choice, until recently- I’ve been hearing that, apart from the terrible job market, you shouldn’t narrow down your career path to be solely based off of your interests, and instead pursue making enough money to have financial stability (very important to me) and set aside time for said interests. Accounting seems to offer that, along with low stress, and I’ve taken a lot of the business classes offered at my school and done well (lowest grade was a B+). I’ve heard a lot of accountants/business field people say they have “boring” jobs but that they actually enjoy it. Boring to me sounds like looooww stresss.
Any input, especially from anyone in the accounting/psychology field would be appreciated!

edit: If I go the psych route I’m aiming for a PhD; otherwise, no matter what I major in, I’m pursuing at least a Bachelor’s