Study reveals the college majors that new grads regret the most
How new graduates can navigate the tough job market 03:26
A university degree is often seen as a way to get ahead in the labor market, and this has become quite common lately. It’s notoriously difficult for early career employees. But as new graduates begin looking for jobs, many say they wish they had chosen a different field of study.
According to a recent study, approximately one in five recent graduates regret their major. report ZipRecruiter surveyed 1,500 graduates from the class of 2025, and another 1,500 students will graduate this spring. Liberal arts majors likely regretted the area they chose to focus their studies in; Depending on their field of work, many wished they had worked in a scientific or quantitative field.
ZipRecruiter found that the fields with the highest share of regret among recent graduates were political science, international relations, or public policy, with 46.3% of these majors unhappy with their choices. This is followed by communications, media studies or public relations departments; 39.2% of them say they regret their decision.
The analysis found, of course, that liberal arts graduates weren’t the only ones having second thoughts about their majors, with a third of physical science majors (those majoring in physics, chemistry, or earth sciences) expressing doubts. Regret may be more acute for young graduates due to the stress of establishing a solid foothold in their careers, Federal Reserve research suggests find It turns out that middle-aged workers are generally more positive about the value of college degrees than younger Americans.
Many young workers are having a hard time joining the existing workforce due to a huge decline in job postings. Entry-level roles made up 38.6% of postings on ZipRecruiter as of March 1; this rate was 43.4% two years ago. ZipRecruiter research shows that while demand for these positions is increasing, they are also shrinking.
Finding a job is not the only obstacle faced by those who start their careers early. As new graduates enter the workforce, they may also face the unfortunate reality that jobs in their field pay less than they expected.
ZipRecruiter’s survey finds that those who studied public health or health care administration earned a 43.8% lower salary upon entry than expected. Among agriculture, environmental science or natural resources majors, as well as English, literature or journalism majors, compensation was 30% lower than expected.
Nursing degrees pay off
For those worried about their career prospects, nursing education can provide a more secure route to employment, research suggests.
