Some students have been sure of their career choice since they were young, while many others enter college with only a general idea and put off declaring a major until their sophomore year. In fact, a large percentage of students change course during their postsecondary education. According to National Center for Education Statistics data, approximately one-third of college students in the U.S. change majors before they get their Bachelor’s degree, and about 10 percent change majors more than once.
While high school seniors and their families are considering schools – and when college freshmen are exploring their options – they typically turn to the Internet to research different fields of study. But which degrees are the most popular?
The University of the Potomac wanted to see which degree programs are the most popular. For its What the World Wants to Study report, the university tapped Google search volume for 181 degrees worldwide and identified the most often-searched postsecondary degrees around the world, including the top college degrees in the U.S.
Worldwide, the most often-searched degree is nursing, with law and business administration degrees coming in second and third. British students and their families searched for psychology degrees most often. Education is the most popular degree in 24 countries, including China, Brazil, Russia, the Philippines, Germany and Argentina. In India, English is the most searched degree, not surprising considering the media and communications opportunities projected over the next decade. The English degree is also popular in Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Morocco, Uzbekistan and Hungary.
Interestingly, psychology, business and computer science degrees rose to the top of the list as the most searched-for degrees to study in California, New York, Washington and 30 additional U.S. states. Students who graduate with any of these three degrees will have broad employment opportunities and the potential to earn more money.
The computer science degree came in as the most popular in Western and Midwestern states. This major offers the potential for some of the highest paying jobs, and plenty of employment opportunities. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, median pay for computer scientists with a Master’s degree averages $131,490 a year, and the job outlook is projected to grow by about 21 percent over the next decade.
Law degrees are also very popular in the U.K., Spain, Japan and Switzerland. The degree is popular not only for having a high employment rate post-graduation, but also the potential for high salaries.