Choosing a school and department can be stressful for students, as it may impact their future employment and income. Statistics from Georgetown University in the United States show that more than 40% of college graduates regret their majors. The departments with the highest regret rates were Journalism, Sociology, and Humanities.
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TAIPEI, TAIWAN (Merxwire) –Every year, many high school students are troubled about the direction of choosing a major in college because they are worried about the impact on their future work income. If they choose a major that is very popular now they are afraid that they won’t like it. if they choose a major they like, they are worried that it will be too unpopular and affect their income after graduation. According to statistics from Georgetown University in the United States, more than 40% of college graduates regret their majors. The top three departments with the highest regret rates are journalism, sociology, and humanities.
This report from Georgetown University points out that education level does affect the level of salary upon graduation. The average income of those with a college degree is 84% higher than that of high school graduates. The higher the degree, the higher the salary. Also due to the continuous improvement of academic qualifications, the stratification of the chosen majors is becoming more and more obvious when looking for jobs after graduation. In some departments, due to low initial ability recognition for employment or low entry barriers, the graduates face the dilemma of poor average remuneration.
The well-known American job search website “ZipRecruiter” conducted a department regret rate survey on more than 1,500 college graduates. They compiled a ranking of the top 10 majors that college students regret most. The Department of Journalism has the highest regret rate, with 87% of graduates feeling that they chose the wrong department. Tied for second place was sociology and humanities, with a 72% regret rate.
The Department of Communication ranked third, with a regret rate of 64%. Ranking next in order are the Department of Education (61%), Marketing Management and Research (60%), Medical and Clinical Research Medicine (58%), Political Science and Government Policy (56%), Department of Biology, and Department of English Literature. (52%).
The survey found that graduates majoring in science, technical engineering, mathematics, and other science and engineering departments have the highest overall income. Followed by health and business-related departments, the average annual salary for fresh graduates is also better than that of humanities departments. Therefore, the departments that make university graduates most satisfied are ranked as follows.
The Department of Computer Information Science and Criminology ranks first, with a satisfaction rate of 72%. The Department of Engineering’s satisfaction rate was 71% and the Department of Nursing’s was 69%. The satisfaction rate for the Department of Health Studies was 67%, and the satisfaction rate for the Department of Business Management and Finance was also 66%. The satisfaction rates for psychology and construction engineering were both 65%. The Department of Human Resources Management is 58%.
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When choosing a major, many people will first consider factors other than economics, such as personal preferences, family opinions, or social perceptions. But when you start working, income becomes a very serious issue. Because income not only provides basic living needs but also affects the quality of life. This survey data mentioned that compared with the highest-paying majors and the lowest-paying majors, the difference in lifetime earnings is as high as 3.4 million U.S. dollars, which is quite astonishing. Therefore, most of the respondents who regretted their studies said that if they could choose a major again, they would choose a major related to information engineering.
When choosing a university department that is related to future employment, in addition to the idealization when choosing a department that may encounter real problems after employment, some people will also fall into the myth of choosing a school. Research has found that the regret rate of choosing a university but not a department is as high as over 70%, which is higher than choosing the wrong department. Some people choose well-known universities rather than the majors they choose, which also leads to salary differences after graduation. The average salary of respondents whose main consideration is choosing a major is 25% higher than that of those who prioritize choosing a school. Therefore, choosing the right major does have a certain bonus effect in the workplace.
When choosing your future school and department, in addition to romantic ideals, you should also add some rational considerations. It would be the most ideal situation if you can choose a major that takes into account your interests and has prospects. If you cannot take both into account, you must use wisdom and evaluate multiple factors to make a better choice. But don’t forget that in addition to academic study, you still need to improve your various professional abilities to be able to face the challenges of the future job market.
