A new major imparts you with skills and knowledge to pursue a career you so desire. Whether you choose a medical or business course, the baseline is to ensure it lies within your passion and interests and has promising career growth prospects. Otherwise, you will face a conflicting career path.
That said, deciding the best major in college isn’t a cakewalk. Luckily, this article provides the best college majors based on research covering popularity, job prospects, and salaries. While the paycheck varies, each offers unique intellectual challenges that can develop your skills. Let’s jump in.
1. Get Into Marketing or Media
Statista reports show companies worldwide increased from 328 million in 2020 to over 333 million in 2021. Moreover, 400 million small businesses contribute to 50% of employment. These statistics show there is a significant rise in businesses globally.
The companies require a marketing department to enhance business operations and growth. Businesses hire professionals with marketing skills to help make informed decisions, create brand awareness, and increase sales. Marketing involves analyzing marketing strategies and customer perceptions to make sales. The teams use multiple data to make business decisions.
Marketing skills are applicable in every real-life situation. The course will teach you values to connect people, functions, brands, and businesses. Therefore, marketing should be your new major if you are passionate about helping companies make decisions and develop effective strategies that boost sales.
Media is intertwined with marketing. Marketers use the platform to shape public opinions and drive conversations on different topics. With the rise of social platforms, many businesses have shifted to online marketing. Organizations hire media professionals to communicate their message to the media effectively. Media helps improve communication skills, build confidence, and enhance brand reputation.
A perfect example of businesses that need brand reputation is law firms. There are 450,000 law firms in the US today, per Statista Data. The vast number creates stiff competition in the market as the firms compete for clients. These law firms need legal marketing companies or partnerships with the media to build their brand reputation. Besides marketing, you can join the media and delve into broadcasting news on politics, education, and other sectors.
Different colleges have various entry requirements for a Degree in media and marketing. For example, you must complete the intermediate level and have a minimum academic GPAs of 3.0 and 6.0 in IELTS to study for a Bachelor’s in Digital Marketing in the United States. The salary for media and marketing is from $59,000 to $111,000 yearly, according to Zippia, while the average hourly rate for media and marketing managers is $39.3.
2. Flex Your Design Skills
The internet continues to evolve rapidly, and businesses have shifted to online marketing. According to Forbes, 28% of business activities are conducted online. This figure shows that the reliance on digital communication has changed how businesses operate, the landscape of the job market, and the economy.
Graphic design and video editing can be your new major if you love helping businesses reach out to potential customers online through visuals such as banners, posters, and marketing videos. Design skills enable you to solve society’s challenges through creativity and innovation and transmit messages through an image.
Good news is an array of career opportunities in this field. For example, you can start freelancing, join a marketing agency, or join an organization. Alternatively, you can start your business and provide international clients and local businesses with bulk screen printing, logos, and business card design services. Most video editor jobs require a bachelor’s degree in related fields like film, broadcasting, media, or video production. According to Zippia, the average salary for a graphic designer and editor in the US is $50,085.
3. Work with Furry Friends
Do you love spending time with the four-legged buddies? Consider taking a new canine training and
performance major and earn doing what you love. Many dog owners love to see their dogs well-mannered and build a close bond with them. For this reason, they enroll them in training classes.
The beauty of becoming a dog trainer is that you become your own boss. You set the hours and schedules for training, giving you much freedom. Every day is a chance to interact with different dogs and have more fun.
With dog care and training skills, you can start your dog training school or a dog daycare. Alternatively, find a job in an established dog training academy. Remember, most dog owners leave their dogs at home during work days. Separation anxiety in dogs can result in destructive behaviors like chewing house items. So your work is to relieve the dogs of the boredom. Also, you can train the puppies and provide a daily routine that includes exercising.
Ensure you establish systems to help build client trust. For instance, install cameras to allow owners to monitor how you spend time with their pets. Dog daycare with webcam relieves the owners of worry because they get instant updates about their pets. According to Zippia, a service dog trainer earns $16.44 hourly on average, $34,195 per year.
4. Practice the Law
Law is one of the most popular careers in the world. The sudden changes in technology, business operations, and other areas have led to the high demand for lawyers. The growing demand for legal services in the modern world has only made law practice more coveted.
Statistics from the World Population Review show the US has the highest number of lawyers, at 1.26 million, translating to one lawyer for every 248 residents. Here is the interesting bit. The world needs more lawyers thanks to the growth and changes in various areas. Privacy and cybersecurity are some of the fastest-changing technological areas that require lawyers to deal with data protection and cybercrime cases.
You can specialize in labor law to cater to the needs of many workers who seek experts to mediate their rights and responsibilities in their respective fields. You can also work with unions and government agencies to craft terms of work. Alternatively, you can apply your law knowledge to help injured people get fair compensation. With the increasing number of vehicles on our roads, many people need car accident lawyers to file claims and deal with stubborn insurers. Other fields that are growing fast are elder law, cannabis law, environmental law, and health law, among others.
If you’re passionate about defending people’s rights, pursue law as your new major. Law is fascinating and involves a broad discipline. Every facet in all countries and states is governed by law; therefore, your services of defending and helping people get justice will never be in short demand.
In most countries, you must complete an undergraduate law degree to become a lawyer. However, you must have an advanced Juris Doctor (JD) or similar degree to practice law in the US. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates, the hourly wage for lawyers is $78.74, and the annual salary is $163,770.
5. Be a Skincare Genius
Did you know the skin is the largest body organ? Taking care of the skin boosts self-esteem and makes you feel good and confident. This explains the massive demand for skin care experts. So, take the cue and pursue skin care training as your new major in college. Luckily, some high schools offer training in cosmetology and esthetician programs. You can also enroll in a postsecondary vocational school.
Pursuing this career path isn’t limited to working in beauty spas and salons. You can take things a notch higher and work in medical offices and clinics as a dermatologist. The job challenges you to devise ways to provide innovative treatment to your clients. You’ll also interact with different people as you help them feel more confident about their appearance.
You can be a self-employed skincare specialist. On the other hand, you can work part-time as an employee, allowing you flexible work schedules for evenings and weekends and work-life balance. According to Zippia, you can earn an average of $35,472 per year or $17.05 per hour.
6. Work on Cars
Do you love a fast-paced and interesting work environment? Take automotive engineering as your new major in college. In this field, you will learn how to manufacture and design automobiles, including their mechanical operations.
Automotive engineering career is rewarding. According to Forbes, 91.7% of US households have at least one car, while 22.1% have three or more vehicles. That means you’ll have numerous repairs and maintenance jobs if you settle at a collision repair center or a tire auto shop.
As an automotive engineer, you can design prototypes, develop new technologies, and manage the production line. With the emerging electric cars and autonomous driving technologies, you have a chance to bring innovative ideas to the industry. As an automotive engineer, you can earn $39 /hour, according to ZipRecruiter.
7. Flash Those Pearly Whites
Help people spread happiness. How, you wonder? Take associate dentistry as your new major, focusing on addressing oral health problems.
As an associate dentist, you’ll work alongside experienced professionals in a supportive environment. You’ll gain great experience thanks to the endless learning possibilities for professional development. But what would bring more satisfaction in this career is helping people maintain their dental health.
The roles of the associate dentists include diagnosing oral conditions, performing routine dental examinations, and carrying out dental procedures. You must have a dental bachelor’s degree to pursue this career. Associate Dentist salaries also vary with state.
8. Drop Some Beats
Music is the strongest form of magic. You don’t believe? How about you take a music course, drop a beat and thank us later? While you can pursue a bachelor of arts in music, the best course is a Bachelor of Music. Taking it as your new major aligns your stars with composing music, music production and engineering, music therapy and teaching.
So, if you’re a music lover and 8–5 jobs don’t cut it, extend your tentacles to disk jockey (DJ). You travel to new places and meet different people while performing at birthdays, weddings, and concerts. DJ service sets you on a path for adventures and exploration. Moreover, you can find an extra way to make more money, like starting a movie shop.
Before you venture into a music career, evaluate your interests because the job has a few challenges despite the fun. For instance, you must accept criticism and work under pressure. A DJ’s salary is estimated to be around $54,894 per year.
9. Help with 20/20 Vision
Myopia cases have been steadily increasing over the past decades. It’s estimated that nearly half of the world population will be myopic by 2050. As such, the world needs professionals to develop innovative ideas to curb the rise of this condition. For starters, 20/20 vision is normal; it means you can see an object while 20 feet away.
Ophthalmologists are a blessing to society, especially as visual problems rise. So, if you want to venture into a medical career, ophthalmology can be your new major. Usually, myopia comes with cataracts, and some patients may need special treatments.
Helping various people regain their eyesight through cataract surgery would bring more satisfaction in this career. Cataracts mainly increase the glare from the light, making the eyes have blurry vision. To become a general ophthalmologist, you need four years of postgraduate specialty training after completing a medical degree (MD). The requirement includes a three-year residency in eye surgery in any approved surgical residency program. You can earn an hourly rate of $21 as an Ophthalmologist.
10. Become a Plumber
Real estate is growing faster, and the plumbing jobs are in a growing trend, according to ZipRecruiter. A plumbing career is inexpensive, and you’ll always boast of the job security. There are 261,194 plumbers currently employed in the U.S.
As a plumber, you can advance to a master plumber, supervisor, estimator, and project manager. Secondly, you meet various people and work on numerous projects, increasing your skills. After completing the training, work with plumbing companies to build the experience. Later, purchase your plumbing tools and start building your brand. The estimated monthly salary for a plumber is $5,085 a month.
Choosing the right career path is the most significant decision you’ll make. While the ultimate goal is to gain education and experience, ensure you do what you love while at it. Reflect on your interest in skills before you get into a new major, and you’ll never regret it.