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Barack Obama, during one of his presidential addresses to the nation, said, “The most important skill you can sell is your knowledge.”
That led to this crack from late-night TV host Jimmy Fallon: “Or as English majors working at Starbucks SBUX, +1.58% put it, ‘No it’s not.’”
Sure, yuck it up, Jimmy, but apparently English majors are, indeed, having second — maybe even third — thoughts about the path they chose.
According to a ZipRecruiter survey of 5,225 job-seeking grads, English, described as “impractical” and offering “limited job opportunities,” is the clear most-regretted major, followed by biological/physical sciences and education.
On the flip side, these are the least-regretted ones:
ZipRecruiter, however, pointed out that it shouldn’t be all about the money, as degrees may shift in value as the economy changes.
“Rather than fixating on earnings alone, students should therefore consider earnings in addition to other measures,” ZipRecruiter’s Julia Pollak wrote.
With that in mind, here are three most valuable majors, according to ZipRecruiter’s Skill Index, which takes into account the number of jobs to which they provide access, the geographic breadth of those jobs, whether those opportunities are growing or declining and, of course, average salaries.
1. Computer Science
Overall index score: 82/100
Median annual earnings: $83k
2. Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Overall index score: 73/100
Median annual earnings: $80k
3. Economics/Business Management and Administration
Overall index score: 62/100
Median annual earnings: $55k
“College is an investment with a return of about 14% on average, but it really depends on the individual,” Pollak wrote. “College degrees pay off for most students in the form of higher salaries and wealth, but they are not a guaranteed path to prosperity. Choosing the right college major can make all the difference.”
