Deciding on the right major is one of the most important decisions of your life, and if you don’t have an answer when faced with that incessant question, it may make you want to crawl in a hole and hide. That feeling is normal. We saw how the economic downfall affected our older siblings, parents and friends and we don’t want the same thing to happen to us. Trust me, there’s solid proof that things have gotten better. Now that the US economy is climbing up, the padlock shut tight on entry-level jobs in the last few years has finally opened, and it’s up to us to find the right path.
When deciding on a major, always remember that your happiness is of the utmost important. Even with a six figure salary, if you hate your job, you hate your job. That being said, here are some of the best majors that will more likely get you a job out of college to help you begin your search:
Education
According to a New York Times blog, 71 percent of those who majored in education got a job before the age of 25. Plus, who doesn’t want to be that young, hot teacher you crushed on back in high school?
“Education is a great major for your future because there are so many options we can go toward and things we can do with it. I basically know exactly what my future as a teacher is going to be like,” said Hofstra University junior education major Ariel Adrian.
Engineering
In that same New York Times blog, engineering was not far behind, with 69 percent of recent grads landing a full time gig. If you are currently picturing a guy with a funny hat on a train, I’d advise against choosing this major. Engineering is a great choice because there are so many different things that go into it. If medicine is your thing, go for biomedical engineering. Want to save New York City from sinking in the future? Choose civil engineering. You can also pick from electrical, mechanical, environmental and much more.
“Engineers are compensated well for their ability to formulate new ideas. So not only will you never run out of interesting problems to solve, but you can rest assured that you’ll be paid well to do what you enjoy most,” said Michigan State University senior mechanical engineering major Chris Matthes.
Computer Science
Do you dream about Bill Gates and Steve Wozniak right before you fall asleep? First of all, that’s a little weird. But if you aspire to be like one of these men some day, start your destiny off right with a major in computer science. This degree was number four on CNBC’s Highest Paid Bachelor’s Degrees, with a starting salary of about $60,000. Yes, an entry level position pays that much.
Finance
“The finance industry is huge and the possibilities are endless,” said Hofstra University alum Sarah Clark, who graduated with a degree in finance in 2011 and had a very well paying job lined up for her with a large financial firm in New York City upon graduation. “All companies need finance people. I picked finance as a major because I liked business but also because the job potential was good. My friends who chose finance have jobs and many of my friends who chose other majors still don’t have jobs in their fields.”
If all else fails, become a Consultant:
If you want to major in something within the business realm (economics, finance, accounting, etc.) but still don’t know what to do with your life after graduation, consider a job at a consulting firm. In laymen’s terms, consulting firms exist so that other companies can hire them to come in and evaluate if they are spending their money well. According to Glassdoor.com, the average consultant salary is $72,000. Not too shabby if you ask me.
Photo: at http://education-portal.com/
