Overview
A comprehensive guide examining the ten most popular college majors based on Fall 2024 enrollment data and 2025 salary projections.
- Total postsecondary enrollment: 19.28 million (4.5% increase from 2023)
- First-year enrollment: Surged 5.5%
- Bachelor's degrees: Grew 2.9%
- Associate degrees: Climbed 6.3%
- Employer hiring plans: 7.3% increase for Class of 2025
The Rankings
1. Business
- Enrollment: 5.37%
- Starting salary: $65,276
- Outlook: Highest employer demand
2. Health Professions
- Growth: Fastest-growing segment
- Starting salary: $64,000+ for nurses
- Job openings: 1.9 million projected annually
3. Computer Science
- Starting salary: $76,251
- Supply gap: 355,000 openings vs 90,000 graduates annually
Key Takeaway
Engineering and Computer Science offer the highest starting salaries, but also consider job security and growth potential when choosing your major.
4. Engineering
- Starting salary: $78,731 (highest of all majors)
- Job openings: 195,000 annually
5. Social Sciences & History
- Enrollment: 7%
- Salary outlook: Only major facing negative projections (-3.6%)
6. Biology & Biomedical Sciences
- Underemployment rate: 35%
- Challenge: Significant supply-demand imbalance
7. Psychology
- Underemployment rate: 38%
- Degrees awarded: 140,711 in 2023
8. Visual & Performing Arts
- Starting salary: $37,286-$52,654 (lowest)
- Benefit: High work autonomy
9. Education
- Starting salary: $46,526 (up 4.4%)
- Outlook: Critical teacher shortages
10. Communication & Journalism
- Starting salary: $60,353
- Challenge: Traditional journalism declining
AI Impact Analysis
High-Risk Areas
- Entry-level accounting
- Market research
- Basic coding
- Content generation
AI-Resistant Careers
- Clinical psychology
- Complex healthcare
- Investigative journalism
- Strategic management
Tip
Focus on developing skills that complement AI rather than compete with it. Human judgment, creativity, and interpersonal skills remain highly valuable.
New Opportunities
- AI specialists
- Machine learning engineers
- Ethics oversight roles
- Human-AI collaboration positions
Key Takeaways
- STEM dominates salary rankings
- Healthcare offers the most job security
- AI is reshaping every industry
- Consider underemployment rates, not just starting salaries
- Passion + market demand = best outcomes
Note
Salary data is based on 2024-2025 projections and may vary by location, institution, and individual circumstances.