The Recessions Effect on College Majors


This site explores the effects the recession has had on college major selection. The recession has caused many students to differ from their passions in favor of practicality. We have taken personal accounts from students at Arizona State University and research from across the country to uncover the recent trend in college major selection based on the recession. 


Choosing a College Major in a Recession

PHOENIX- It can be difficult to obtain a steady job without a degree but in a recession it can be hard to obtain a steady job even with a degree. 
“It is harder to get a job today because of the amount of candidates out there. Today there are four times as many people trying for the same job than there were ten years ago,” said Jami Rangel, an Arizona State University Spanish professor. "The small rate of employment on top of our struggling economy has definitely caused students to reevaluate their choice in major.”
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Researchers at Duke University conducted a study to determine whether or not salary has an effect on students’ major choices. They found that 20.7 percent of the male student body at Duke University were engineering majors. Engineering majors have a higher probability of being hired right after college than any other major at the University.

According to the study those who majored in engineering made around $122,416 ten years after graduation.

Lynn O'Shaughnessy wrote an article entitled, “The Best and Worst College Degrees by Salary,” which outlined the average salaries of particular majors. Music and fine arts majors have an average starting salary around $36,000 and a mid-career salary around $54,000. When compared with the $122,416 engineering majors will be making, $54,000 sounds extremely unappealing.

Arizona State University sophomore Liam Hausmann said he changed his major from print journalism to public relations because it will give him a chance at a more comfortable lifestyle, even though he believes print journalism is one of “the most respectable and inspirational careers imaginable.”

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The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications is where Journalism and PR students like Liam Hausmann take classes.
photo by: Sean Horan
“The economy and the state of technology in the world today has lead me to change my major from print journalism to public relations. Unlike print journalism, it [PR] is one of the most broad and malleable fields out there and receiving a PR degree with digital media experience will allow me to make my career what I want it to be,” Hausmann said.

Having a career that caters to your lifestyle is extremely appealing, but not easy to find. Since the recession began trade schools and online universities have seen an increase in enrollment, due to their flexibility.

“My son is currently on a waiting list for a trade school. They have become popular because you get in and out and you develop advanced skills in one area, which is employers are looking for,” said Rangel.

A trade school is a vocational or career school. It provides students with training in one specific topic, such as nursing and mechanics, unlike a four-year university that requires you to take core classes along with major classes.

Similar to online universities, trade schools are flexible and do not require you to have classes during normal work hours.

As a professor at Arizona State University, Rangel is not required to have a PhD. However, when she applied for a position at the University of Georgia she was told she must obtain a PhD in order to be hired. With little time in her schedule to go back to school Rangel has been debating enrolling in an online university.

“Getting a PhD online is better in this economy because you can work and take classes at the same time. You don’t have to adjust to your school schedule, instead it adjusts to you,” Rangel said.

Enrolling in an online university or trade school and selecting a major that ensure a high paying salary are all ways to outsmart the economy.