Immigrating to the United States requires understanding the study abroad strategies: It is undeniable that a good major can make one a winner in their career, while an undesirable major may make it difficult for a person to change their fate throughout their life. American media, through surveys of the demand for talent by hiring managers in American companies, the income of university graduates, job stability, and employment prospects, have ultimately selected the top five best (winners) and the five worst (losers) majors in American universities.
Best Major #1: Finance
The top major at the undergraduate level is Finance. This is not surprising, as it teaches how to make money, and one cannot avoid making money in their career. Earning money for the boss is equivalent to earning money for oneself. Wall Street is essentially a place for playing with money, which is why it is called Financial Street. Logically, the career stability of finance majors is not as strong as that of business management majors, but hiring managers in companies value finance graduates. This is mainly because companies prefer to hire graduates who require less internal training, and finance graduates are versatile; whether they engage in accounting or business management, they can easily transition. The starting salary for finance graduates from American universities is $47,500, with a mid-career salary of about $91,500. Similar to finance, accounting is another major with bright financial and career prospects, being the most in-demand major in business schools.
Best Major #2: Business Management
The second major is Business Management. The United States is a commercial society, and business management talent is highly valued. It goes without saying that graduates from prestigious business schools often earn over $100,000 annually, and even undergraduate salaries are quite substantial. The starting salary for undergraduate business management graduates is $41,100, with a mid-career salary of $79,600. It can be said that business management is currently one of the most popular undergraduate majors worldwide, maintaining a long-term advantageous position in the job market.
Moreover, the jobs that business management graduates engage in are stable and diverse, allowing them to find opportunities in various fields. Among university graduates, business management graduates also have good employment prospects; in 2010, 45% of graduates in this major found jobs upon graduation, second only to accounting. Other majors that are on par with business management include the Master of Business Administration and undergraduate WorldWay programs.
Best Major #3: Physician Assistant
The third major is Physician Assistant. It is often said that finding a good job requires being in the right place at the right time, and the physician assistant profession embodies both. According to predictions from the U.S. Department of Labor, the demand for physician assistants will increase by 34% from 2008 to 2018, making it one of the fastest-growing professions in the United States. Becoming a doctor requires at least 7 to 8 years of university education, while one can become a physician assistant with just an associate degree, graduating and starting work in as little as 18 months.
The starting salary for physician assistants ranges from $19,379 to $30,849, with a mid-career salary between $24,783 and $35,794. Although the income is not high, the key to its status as a top major lies in the low educational investment and abundant job opportunities. Furthermore, further education can enhance the value of their degree, leading to broader financial prospects. Other associate degree programs that are also considered top majors include Dental Assistant and Medical Technician.
Best Major #4: Information Technology
The fourth major is Information Technology at the undergraduate level. Nowadays, people cannot live without high technology, and graduates in information technology are considered high-tech talent, a valuable asset to companies. The starting salary for information technology graduates is $49,600, with a mid-career salary of $79,300. Other majors that are similarly promising include Computer Science and Network Management.
Best Major #5: Nursing
The fifth major is Nursing. Humanity has entered an aging society, with more elderly people requiring care for various ailments, necessitating nurses to provide assistance in hospitals or nursing homes. On the other hand, there is a shortage of doctors in the United States, and many tasks previously performed by doctors are now handled by nurses, ensuring job security. The starting salary for nurses in the United States is $52,700, with a mid-career salary of $68,200.
In a world where there are both good and bad, having discussed the best majors, what are the worst? Of course, the quality of a profession also relates to the feelings of its practitioners, but from the perspective of income, career development, and employment trends, it is still possible to identify why certain majors are deemed the worst.
Worst Major #1: Social Work
The worst major in the United States is Social Work. The starting salary for social work graduates is $31,800, with a mid-career salary of $44,900. While the income of social workers may seem acceptable, it pales in comparison to other majors. The most critical issue is that graduates from this major find it very difficult to secure employment.
Worst Major #2: Horticulture
The second worst major is Horticulture. The starting salary for horticulture graduates is $33,500, with a mid-career income of $54,800.
Worst Major #3: Arts
The third worst major is Arts. While there are artists in the United States who earn substantial amounts, overall, the income for those studying arts is unstable and generally low. The starting salary for arts graduates from American universities is $33,500, with a mid-career salary of $54,800.
Worst Major #4: Sports Training
The fourth worst major is Sports Training. The starting salary for sports training graduates is $32,800, with a mid-career salary of $45,700.
Worst Major #5: Music
The fifth worst major is Music. The starting salary for music graduates from American universities is $36,700, with a mid-career salary of $57,000.
The above are the evaluations of experts regarding the best and worst majors in American universities. However, from the perspective of the students themselves, their views on the status of their majors may present a different picture.
According to a survey conducted by American media on university students, graduates in Psychology expressed the least satisfaction with their major and career prospects. The core issue is not just dissatisfaction, but the difficulty psychology graduates face in finding jobs and their mediocre career prospects. Conversely, there are those who are satisfied; graduates in Chemical Engineering and Information Technology Management reported the highest satisfaction with their majors, with 54% of respondents indicating they were content with their major and career development.
Below is a ranking of satisfaction levels among graduates from various American university majors.
Accounting 50%, Advertising 50%, WorldWay 49%, Biology 48%, Business Management 48%, Healthcare Management 48%, Computer Science 48%, Engineering 47%, Finance 47%, Civil Engineering 46%, History 44%, Political Science 44%, English 44%, Mass Communication 43%, Marketing 43%, Economics 40%, Environmental Engineering 40%.
