# Which major has the brightest future? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 24, 2004, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-has-the-brightest-future/265809 "2004-09-24T02:32:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![saluki\_fan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@saluki\_fan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saluki_fan)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-has-the-brightest-future/265809/1 "2004-09-24T02:32:43Z")
Out of marketing, finance, and economics; which one has the brightest future as far as job outlook. I researched them on [bls.gov](http://bls.gov) and got some good info, but I was wondering if anybody in here had any first hand experience or knowledge they’d like to share. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-has-the-brightest-future/265809/2 "2004-09-24T02:41:06Z")
Nuclear science. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-has-the-brightest-future/265809/3 "2004-09-24T02:47:13Z")
Marketing has the most opportunity to self employ or to go really broad and you can earn oodles if not boodles of cash **IF** you’re really good and work your arse off. However, almost all four year colleges have marketing programs and it’s an extremely crowded field. With all of the above you’ll need to do grad work to specialize your field, but if by finance you specialize in some form of banking you can probably make a decent living relatively easily. Economics would probably have the least success rate as it’s such an academic pursuit. In addition to bls check the Dept of Labor publications [Dictionary of Occupational Titles](http://www.oalj.dol.gov/libdot.htm) and the annual [Occupational Outlook Report](http://www.bls.gov/oco/home.htm) (also available hardcopy in almost any library). ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-has-the-brightest-future/265809/4 "2004-09-24T03:22:38Z")
I was told there was a study done on UNC graduates. The degree that had the highest average annual salary was a Geography degree.Of course, Michael Jordan was a Geography major. ---
**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-has-the-brightest-future/265809/5 "2004-09-24T03:37:03Z")
> [@saluki\_fan](#): > > Out of marketing, finance, and economics; which one has the brightest future as far as job outlook. I researched them on [bls.gov](http://bls.gov) and got some good info, but I was wondering if anybody in here had any first hand experience or knowledge they’d like to share. I’m somewhat biased, but mathematics is very hireable. Maybe not the highest average pay in general, but it’s a skill set that’s applicable to quite a few different fields and is always in demand. As an example, a math major with a few supporting biology courses is actually often more hireable at a biotech firm than a straight bio student. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-has-the-brightest-future/265809/6 "2004-09-24T03:52:30Z")
I don’t know about the 3 majors the OP mentioned but my chosen field, engineering, is pretty hireable. Here’s a little chart (from my school) to compare against other fields: [http://www.msoe.edu/placement/salary.shtml](http://www.msoe.edu/placement/salary.shtml) ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-has-the-brightest-future/265809/7 "2004-09-24T04:46:03Z")
**saluki\_fan**. Let me be clear. Try to start threads in the proper place. In this one, you’re asking for opinions. You are, in no way, gonna get a factual answer to your question. Does this make sense? Moved to IMHO. **samclem** GQ moderator ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-has-the-brightest-future/265809/8 "2004-09-24T06:18:07Z")
Wouldn’t lighthouse re-lampers have the brightest future. I’ll go away now. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-has-the-brightest-future/265809/9 "2004-09-24T06:22:23Z")
I recommend a BA in old money. Bright past, glowing future. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-has-the-brightest-future/265809/10 "2004-09-24T06:30:54Z")
IMHO Marketing would probably get you an interesting, and well-paying job. However, having graduated from SIU, I know they also have a great design department, so you might want to look into that as a minor - would work well with the other majors you listed. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-has-the-brightest-future/265809/11 "2004-09-24T12:56:40Z")
Outsourcing Sciences. ---
**Author:** ![NoPretentiousCodename](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/82dd89/32.png) [@NoPretentiousCodename](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoPretentiousCodename)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-has-the-brightest-future/265809/12 "2004-09-24T14:03:42Z")
Depends on which department head you ask. Chem department chair: "Chemistry is one of the degrees with the highest demand. A greater percentage of chem students who apply to med school get accepted than any other major. Why, I know a person who, with only a BS in chemistry… " Physics department chair: "Physics is one of the degrees with the highest demand. A greater percentage of physics students who apply to med school get accepted than any other major. Why, I know a person who, with only a BS in physics… " This really happened (though not word for word). My opinion is that several things contribute to a bright future. •Skill level required for major •Saturation of the labor market • Revenue generated by companies in that field So something in the medical field, i.e. nursing, pharmacy, etc, fits all these (above average skill required, a labor shortage, significant revenue generated). Whereas many fields are high on the skill required and low on the revenue, or high on the skill but also high on the competition (psychology, so I head tell). All this is IMO, of course, as I just made it all up just now: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-has-the-brightest-future/265809/13 "2004-09-24T14:34:16Z")
saluki\_fan–may I offer a suggestion about life in general? I dont know anything at all about economics, marketing or finance–but the way you worded your question does suggest something to me: You ask what **major** is best. That’s a good question if you are on campus, but a bad question for picking a career .Remember, after you finish playing student, you get kicked off the campus and out into the real world. And out there, nobody asks you what your major was. They ask you what do you know how to do that will make it worthwhile for them to pay you for doing it. Then they make you do it. A lot. (and there’s no break between semesters, either.) So ask yourself, not what major you want to study, but what you want to do from 8:00 am to 5 :00 pm every day, while a boss looks over your shoulder.Maybe , of the 3 listed, pick the field that you think you will feel happiest doing every day for the next 35 years. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-has-the-brightest-future/265809/14 "2004-09-24T15:13:53Z")
You might not be able to predict what the job market will be like in 4 (or however many) years. When I was going to college, in 1991, I was majoring in Computer Science, both because I liked it and because it was obvious there would be a lot of jobs in it. However, a lot of my friends in my high school CS courses planned on majoring in “hard sciences”/engineering rather than CS, because in their opinion there was more of a job market in that. Now, granted, the average salary for an engineering grad versus a Comp Sci degree are around the same…IF you can find an engineering job. But they thought that just because highly paid engineers were more numerous than highly paid programmers in 1991 that it would always stay that way, and they were wrong. ---
**Author:** ![NoPretentiousCodename](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/82dd89/32.png) [@NoPretentiousCodename](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoPretentiousCodename)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-has-the-brightest-future/265809/15 "2004-09-24T15:22:01Z")
_Since somebody had to do it…_ Plastics. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-has-the-brightest-future/265809/16 "2004-09-24T15:41:55Z")
One of the reasons I chose communications and journalism is its flexibility. I know broadcasting jobs are hard to come by, and at my age, I’m already at a disadvantage over a fresh-faced 22-year-old. When I was researching this myself, I found that a lot of employers value the writing and speaking skills that communications majors develop. Even if I never get behind a microphone or an editing machine after I graduate, I can write clearly, speak intelligently, talk to people to get more information, and, probably most importantly, do good work under tight deadlines. The way I see it, I can learn the specifics of the job once I get one, but the underlying skills I mentioned are what’s going to get me that job. That said, I agree with **chappachula**. What you study in college may have nothing to do with what you actually do for a living. Robin ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-has-the-brightest-future/265809/17 "2004-09-24T18:38:58Z")
Unless you plan on moving to India and China in the near future, I would _not_ major in CS. Engineering is still a valuable major. From my vantage point, there are more opportunities for engineers than available engineers. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-has-the-brightest-future/265809/18 "2004-09-24T20:49:41Z")
I’d say finance, or pharmacology. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-has-the-brightest-future/265809/19 "2004-09-24T23:18:52Z")
Nursing. High wages & good job security abound. But so does stress and burnout. However you only asked out of 3 majors. I have no idea about those 3. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-has-the-brightest-future/265809/20 "2004-09-24T23:31:17Z")
I’m sorry, but how much of a difference is there in the subjects of marketing, finance, and economics? Could graduates with those three degrees all compete for the same sort of jobs? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-has-the-brightest-future/265809.md?page=2)