What Should I Major In? College Major Guide
How to make one of the biggest decisions of your life (so far).
If you’re here, you’re probably asking yourself, “What should I major in?” which is a valid concern. There’s a huge emphasis placed on what you study in college—we’re here to tell you that most of it is unfounded and you’re probably going to be fine.
Now that you’re a little less panicked let’s break down how to decide what you should major in during your time at college. There are plenty of factors and considerations that can feel incredibly overwhelming. We’ll take things one step at a time and help demystify the entire process of declaring a major.
In this article:
Things to Consider
While choosing a major is no simple task, there are some things to consider before you declare your path of study. We’ve broken down the most important factors when it comes to deciding what you should major in during your time at college.
Salary
It would be ideal if you didn’t have to think about how much money when it comes to your prospective job, but the reality is that certain career fields pay better than others. If money is your ultimate goal, picking a major with a lucrative future salary is the move here.
According to a recent study by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, these are the top-paying college majors:
- Engineering: $65,000-$80,000 per year
- Computer Science: $78,000 per year
- Finance: $66,000 per year
- Math: $65,000 per year
- Economics: $65,000 per year
Future Career Growth
Another important factor to consider before you decide what you should major in is future career growth. Some fields are rapidly expanding, which makes finding a job after graduation much easier. A higher demand usually also means a higher salary.
According to a recent study by Indeed, these are the fastest-growing careers, as of 2023:
- Veterinary technician: $37,250 per year
- Home health aid: $46,330 per year
- Graphic designer: $50,500 per year
- Massage therapist: $46,230 per year
- Plumber: $73,340 per year
Which requires an advanced degree?
Determining if your future career requires an advanced degree is also a critical deciding factor when choosing a major. From both a timeline and financial perspective, staying in school for an extended period of time might not be a viable option for everyone. But if you’re thinking about a pre-med pathway, then it’s something you might have to do.
Common careers that require at least a master’s degree (if not a doctorate) are:
- Nurse practitioner: $121,600 per year
- Statistician: $98,900 per year
- Epidemiologist: $78,500 per year
- Physician assistant: $126,000 per year
- Computer and information research scientist: $84,100 per year
Personal Interests
The most obvious factor when choosing a major is what you’re interested in! College work isn’t always going to be sunshine and rainbows, but it’s a heck of a lot more enjoyable if you actually care about what you’re learning. Studying something you have zero interest in has the potential to catch up with you—then you suddenly wake up one day and realize you hate your degree and future career field.
Of course, balancing your personal interests with practical factors is important. Finding a blend of these two will lead you down a path that you enjoy while also making a decent living.
Majors Based on Personality Type
There has been some research suggesting that certain personality types are better suited for certain careers. If you’re at a loss on what you should major in, it’s not a bad idea to dip into some personality tests to see where you end up.
Everyone’s brain is wired differently—if you’re a hyper-creative person, going into a field that tends to be more mundane and routine isn’t sustainable. Or if you’re bad at math, trying to be a statistician might not be your best bet. Let’s break down some ways you can find a major based on your personality.
How You Think
It’s no secret that everyone’s brain is wired differently, and this can directly impact what kind of career you want to have, in turn giving you an idea of what you could major in. I’ll use myself as an example to give you a better idea.
While I like to think of myself as a well-rounded individual, I definitely have my academic strengths and weaknesses. I always had more of an aptitude for creative fields like writing (shocker) and the arts. Data-driven studies like science (chemistry nearly broke me) and math (literally all math) were not in my wheelhouse.
My brain has a hard time grasping and retaining formulas and equations. Linear, black-and-white concepts aren’t my strong suit. But if you give me an hour to read a passage and argue a point by writing an essay? Easy breezy.
Although I have an interest in certain sciences like nutrition, I knew I would struggle throughout my entire academic career if that’s what I majored in. After changing my mind on what I wanted to study not one, not two, but four times (psychology to graphic design to nutrition to eventually English), I knew I chose correctly based on how my brain was wired. I even changed my minor three times, but we’ll skip over that.
Myers-Briggs (MBTI)
If you’re not familiar with Myers-Briggs, we’ll break it down for you really quickly.
Myers-Briggs (also known as MBTI or the 16 Personalities) is a personality test named after the two aforementioned scientists. They created a test that puts everyone into one of 16 different personality types based on four contrasting factors:
- Introversion (I) or Extroversion (E)
- Sensing (S) or Intuition (N)
- Thinking (T) or Feeling (F)
- Judging (J) or Perceiving (P)
Once you take the test, you’ll be assigned a type indicator. For example, I’m an INFJ, or Introversion, Intuition, Feeling, and Judging. If you’ve never taken the test before, you can take it for free here.
Here are the 16 personality types and potential careers for each:
Analysts
- INTJ, the Architect: editor, financial advisor, teacher
- INTP, the Logician: professor, producer, web developer
- ENTJ, the Commander: business administrator, astronomer, mechanical engineer
- ENTP: the Debater: attorney, creative director, financial planner
Diplomats
- INFJ, the Advocate: writer, counselor, psychologist
- INFP, the Mediator: copywriter, physical therapist, artist
- ENFJ, the Protagonist: HR director, guidance counselor, public relations manager
- ENFP, the Campaigner: product manager, personal trainer, social worker
Sentinels
- ISTJ, the Logician: accountant, business analyst, dentist
- ISFJ, the Defender: photographer, research analyst, accountant
- ESTJ, the Executive: judge, coach, real estate agent
- ESFJ, the Consul: technical support specialist, medical researcher, office manager
Explorers
- ISTP, the Virtuoso: engineer, forensic scientist, technician
- ISFP, the Adventurer: social media manager, social worker, veterinarian
- ESTP, the Entrepreneur: paramedic, creative director, project coordinator
- ESFP, the Entertainer: event planner, flight attendant, sales representative
Changing Your Major
Even if you do all the research and make the most informed decision you can, there’s always the possibility that you’re going to change your mind once you’re on your degree track. If that happens, what are you supposed to do?
According to research, anywhere from 75-85% of college students change their major at least once (the writer of this article included). Read that again.
That’s right, you’re actually in the minority if you don’t change your major during college. Don’t freak if you suddenly change your mind and want to study something else. The process is (generally) pretty easy.
Usually, for your first year and a half of college, you’re taking general education requirements. This is the easiest time to change your major because you haven’t taken any degree-specific courses yet (maybe one or two, but those credits will likely be able to fit in somewhere else).
And even if you change your mind late in the game, your advisors will do their best to ensure you graduate on time. Just don’t be surprised if you end up having to take an extra semester (or more) if you make a major degree change during your junior or senior year.
Going in Undecided
You also have the option to go in undecided or undeclared when you commit to your respective college. Doing this has gotten a lot of grief over the years, but it’s actually a smart move if you aren’t sure what you want to be studying.
Like we said before, most of your freshman and sophomore year in college will be general education and go toward any degree you pursue. Once you get far enough in your academic career and finish all your general education requirements, you’ll have to declare a major to keep studying. This would likely be sometime during your sophomore year, so you definitely have time if you go in and aren’t 100% sure what you should major in yet.
There’s a huge amount of pressure put on students to declare their major right out the gate and then never change their minds. Just know that it’s okay to not be sure what you want to study. College is the time to explore interests and see what field of study resonates with you the most!
