What Should I Go to School For? A Multi-lens Perspective
Choosing which degree program to pursue is no small decision. This choice shapes one‘s career prospects and earning potential for decades to come. When making this high-stakes decision, it‘s crucial to analyze the issue from multiple perspectives.
In this expert guide, we will examine the societal, economic and individual student lenses to help inform your school and program selection process.
The Societal Lens: Aligning Graduates to Workforce Needs
From a societal perspective, there is a priority to ensure students graduate with skills matched to employer demands within growing industries. However, recent data suggests we are falling short on this front:
| Underemployment Rate of Recent Graduates | |
|---|---|
| 43% | Working in jobs not requiring a college degree |
| 29% | Working in roles unrelated to college major |
High underemployment rates signal a misalignment between higher education and the job market. This skills gap has ripple effects across the economy, impacting innovation, global competitiveness, income inequality and more.
Expert Recommendations
- Encourage high school career prep courses exploring local labor market demands
- Incentivize colleges via policy to track graduate employment outcomes
- Expand technical training, apprenticeships and earn-while-you learn models
- Foster more collaboration between industry and higher education
Aligning programs to high-demand fields with strong growth outlooks benefits both graduates and the broader economic health.
The Economic Lens: ROI of College Majors
The lifetime earnings potential of varies greatly depending on one‘s field of study. When selecting a major, it pays to Literally) to weigh the economic return on investment (ROI) across degree options.
| College Major | Median Lifetime Earnings |
|---|---|
| Engineering | $4.8 million |
| Computer Science | $4.2 million |
| Business/Economics | $3.3 million |
| Education | $2.8 million |
| Arts/Humanities | $2.7 million |
Majors like engineering and CS lead to higher pay compared to careers in teaching or the arts. However, salary shouldn‘t be the only consideration. Job satisfaction is linked to lower burnout rates and longer tenure.
Highest Growth Industries
When deciding a major, also analyze labor market data on the fastest growing sectors. The following industries expect to add the most new jobs over the next decade:
- Healthcare and Technical Services
- Renewable Energy
- Data Analysis and AI
- Elder Care and Social Assistance
- Sustainability and Environmental Services
Degrees feeding into these high-growth fields often align with stable, well-paying careers.
The Student Lens: Assessing Your Interests and Options
While societal and economic perspectives provide context on career prospects, finding the right degree also requires self-reflection on what makes you come alive.
Self-Assessments Are Key
Revisiting personality and career assessments from high school can uncover forgotten or newly developed passions. Trends in your results may point towards promising majors and career clusters worth exploring further.
| Sample Career Cluster Framework | ||
|---|---|---|
| Personality Trait | Potential Careers | Aligned Majors |
| Artistic | Graphic Designer, Animator | Fine Arts, Graphic Design |
| Investigative | Scientist, Analyst | Biology, Analytics |
| Social | Teacher, Counselor | Education, Psychology |
Compare assessment results against career cluster frameworks to identify degree areas for further investigation.
Informational Interviews
Speaking with alumni working in careers of interest is invaluable. Ask about their typical work activities, the skillsets they utilize daily, what they enjoy most about their work and their advice for someone considering their field. Identify 2-3 intriguing careers to deeper explore through informational interviews.
Emerging Interdisciplinary Fields
Hybrid degree programs blending business, technology and creative disciplines are gaining popularity. Programs like digital marketing, data science and UX design sit at the intersection of arts, analytics and strategy. Keep an open mind to these emerging interdisciplinary majors.
Key Takeaways
The decision of what to study deserves a thorough cost-benefit analysis from multiple perspectives. By considering societal workforce needs, economic ROI data and your own self-assessments side-by-side, themes will emerge pointing towards smart degree choices.
Remember, this decision need not be permanent. Many students change majors or pursue further degrees as their interests develop. The most important things are choosing an area you’re excited to immerse yourself in with promising career prospects on the other side.
