Majors Matter (but maybe not in the way you think)

Is the question “What are you going to major in?” a cause of contention at your dinner table? Are you worried that your child is going to live in your basement until they are 40 if they follow their dreams?

If disagreements over your child’s desired course of study is causing everyone to reach for the antacid tablets, there’s something new you might want to consider…what you think is the best paying career field might not be. Skeptical? I get it.

College is about learning and preparing for the future. In some respects it’s about developing specific skills for a career, but it’s also about growing intellectually and emotionally. And in my experience, students grow and learn the most when they are studying subjects they are invested in. If they hate math, choosing a math-heavy major, even if it seems to promise high paying jobs, is probably not worth it…now or later.

Yes, people love to compare median earnings by major and sing the praises of science and math heavy degrees like engineering, computer science, and accounting, while downplaying degrees from the humanities and social services like education, English, and fine arts.

But here’s the secret people don’t mention (or know). Yes, engineers’ median lifetime earnings are higher on the median earnings of those with English degrees, but if you are a top 10% performer with an English degree, you’ll outearn a bottom 10% earner in engineering.

Don’t believe me? Check out Douglas Webber’s interactive chart of Lifetime Earnings by College Major.

A top 10% performer in Graphic Design will have lifetime earnings of $3.2 million, while a bottom 10% performer in Accounting will earn $2.1 million in their life. Surprised? Don’t be. If something is your child’s passion, they’ll be more invested in being successful in it. And many times, the financial compensation will follow.

You can read more about the power of pursing the area where one’s talents and interests intersect in the fantastic book, The Element, by the late Sir Ken Robinson (he also has tons of great YouTube videos). Give some thought to the subjects that really get your child excited to learn (and they have excelled in) and then explore the more than 40 degree programs the University of Charleston offers, including our Multi-Disciplinary Studies degree that lets students build their own major.

Hopefully your next conversation about your child’s dream major will have a little less drama and a little more optimism.

Have a college search topic you’d like to see addressed here? Send me a note at elizabethwolfe@ucwv.edu.