Do people regret their college major?
Emily Ross
Published Jan 22, 2026
Debt leads to regret over college major
How many people regret their college degrees?
The great majority—nearly two-thirds—of graduates with a bachelor's degree regret something about their education, according to the survey of 248,000 college graduates by PayScale, which provides online information about salary, benefits and compensation.
What do you do if you regret your major?
Here are four ideas for recovering from your college regrets.
- Go back to school. If you've discovered your career field doesn't align with your degree, it's not out of the question to go back to school. ...
- Take online classes. Advertisement. ...
- Pursue your passions on the side. ...
- Refinance your student loans.
What majors are useless?
20 Most Useless Degrees
- Advertising. If you're an advertising major, you may hope to get into digital marketing, e-commerce, or sports marketing. ...
- Anthropology And Archeology. ...
- Art history. ...
- Communications. ...
- Computer Science. ...
- Creative Writing. ...
- Criminal Justice. ...
- Culinary arts.
What percentage of college students change their major?
At least 80% of college students change their major throughout their college education. If you're thinking about changing your major, talk to an academic advisor to understand how it will affect your financial aid and graduation qualifications. Some changes in major mean taking on additional credits.
43 related questions foundWhat is the dropout rate for college students?
College dropout rates average at 40% for undergraduate students. Only 41% of college students graduate in 4 years or less. 12% complete college at a different institution. College dropout rates are 20% higher for male students in comparison to female students.
Is it OK to change majors in college?
Never fear–you can change majors if you really need to! In fact, many students switch their majors during their college years. Not just “many” but a majority–a whopping 80% of college students will change their majors at least once. So you will definitely not be alone if you want to change it up.
What is the weirdest major in college?
The Strangest College Majors That Exist Today
- Cannabis cultivation. ...
- Citrus and horticultural science. ...
- Amusement park and roller coaster engineering. ...
- Canadian studies. ...
- Fermentation sciences. ...
- Recreation and leisure. ...
- Comic art. ...
- Diving business and technology.
Which degree is best for future?
Information Technology Degrees For the Future
- Computer Science. ...
- Internet of Things (IoT) ...
- Health Information Technology. ...
- Information Technology. ...
- Big Data Systems. ...
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) ...
- Management Information Systems (MIS) ...
- Computer Science and Mathematics.
What do you do if you don't like your university?
Read on for some tips on what you should do if you're not enjoying university.
- Step 1: Figure out what's making you unhappy. ...
- Step 2: Talk to people. ...
- Step 3: Give it time. ...
- Step 4: Decide whether university is right for you, or if you want to change courses. ...
- Step 5: Changing courses or universities.
What Americans regret most?
A nationally representative study, which asked 270 Americans to describe a significant life regret, found the most commonly reported regrets involved romance (19.3%), family (16.9%), education (14.0%), career (13.8%), finance (9.9%), and parenting (9.0%) (Morrison & Roese, 2011).
Should college students have jobs?
Another undeniable benefit of working while in college is the opportunity to expand your circle, both professionally and socially. In addition to offering professional networking opportunities, traditional students may find that on-campus or other part-time jobs can be a great way to meet friends and other classmates.
How many college grads are underemployed?
In December 2021, about 41.3 percent of recent college graduates were underemployed in the United States. This was a small increase from December 2020, when about 40.6 percent of recent college grads were underemployed.
What major makes the most money?
The 12 Highest Paying College Majors
- Business Operations Research. ...
- Political Economics. ...
- Business Analytics. Starting salary: $57,200. ...
- Pharmacist. Starting salary: $79,600. ...
- Aeronautics. Starting salary: $73,100. ...
- Economics. Starting salary: $60,100. ...
- Accounting. Starting salary: $56,400. ...
- Business Management. Starting salary: $61,000.
What is the hardest degree to get?
Introducing the 13 Hardest College Majors
- #8: Biochemistry or Biophysics. ...
- #7: Astronomy. ...
- #6: Physics. ...
- #5: Cell and Molecular Biology. ...
- #4: Biomedical Engineering. ...
- #3: Aero and Astronautical Engineering. ...
- #2: Chemical Engineering. ...
- #1: Architecture. Average Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 22.20.
What are fun college majors?
30 fun majors
- Fermentation sciences. Getting a Bachelor's Degree in Fermentation Sciences prepares you for a career in the brewing industry. ...
- Pop culture. ...
- Viticulture. ...
- Auctioneering. ...
- 5. Entertainment design. ...
- Golf course management. ...
- Costume technology. ...
- Professional scuba diving.
What is the easiest degree to get?
10 Easiest College Degrees
- English literature. ...
- Sports management. ...
- Creative writing. ...
- Communications studies. ...
- Liberal studies. ...
- Theater arts. ...
- Art. You'll study painting, ceramics, photography, sculpture and drawing. ...
- Education. An article on CBS MoneyWatch named education the country's easiest major.
What is the least common college major?
The least popular majors in 2018-19 were:
- Legal professions and studies: 0.2% share of students.
- Communications technologies: 0.2%
- Transportation and materials moving: 0.3%
Does switching majors cost money?
The Financial Cost
Changing majors after starting college can take an enormous toll on your finances. A toll of approximately $20,000 per major change, according to one report.
Can I go to college without knowing my major?
In fact, in many schools you don't have to declare your major until you are well into your sophomore year. Other schools want you to declare a major right from the very beginning. This doesn't mean that you have to keep that major though. In fact, many students change their majors in the course of their college career.
What are the chances of changing your major?
The same study found about 1 in 10 students changed college majors more than once: 10 percent of associate's degree students and 9 percent of bachelor's degree students. Many current college students can relate to the desire to change-up their major.
What Major has the highest dropout rate?
Computer sciences and business and administrative studies are among the degree subjects with the highest drop-out rates; with around nine per cent of students dropping out by their second year.
Is it better to move away for college?
All in all, moving away for college is a great way to acquire and practice essential life skills. Students who move out for uni usually find that studying away from home teaches them a lot more than classes do – it's a maturing experience that coincides with earning a qualification.