Drexel University To Offer 50% Tuition Scholarship To Community College Graduates Nationwide
May 17, 2024
Canada announces international student enrolment cap levels for 2025
January 30, 2025
Today, somewhere around 4 in 10 recent college graduates find themselves employed in roles that don’t need their degree. They just can’t find jobs relevant to what they studied, so they have to settle for something lesser. This is the definition of underemployment, and it’s a growing problem in our economy.
It’s even worse when you consider that on average, college costs something like $35k annually—and most people who finish do so in 5 or 6 years, not 4. Only 62% of those who attempt a degree finish within 6 years.
The high underemployment rate means that even if you do manage to complete your program, there’s a decent chance you won’t even need or use that knowledge in the job you eventually take. (Which probably won’t pay as well as you hoped when you took out those student loans.)
Depressed yet?
Thanks to statistics like these, America’s attitude toward higher education is undergoing a major shift. According to Strada Education Network, fewer than 1 in 3 adults now believe that a college degree is worth the cost. Two-thirds of Gen Z don’t think they need a college degree to be successful—and you know what? They might just be right.
Expanding postsecondary options
Most people will still agree that high school graduates need some kind of additional training to fit them for a rewarding career, but the avenues to achieve that postsecondary education are expanding beyond the traditional college pathway.
This doesn’t mean college is obsolete, but it does mean it’s no longer the best or only choice for every student. Families should consider all the options with an open mind. The shift to skills-based hiring, while nowhere near complete, is going to change the calculus of how we prepare the next generation for the workforce.
Additionally, we need to let go of the stigmas still attached to alternative postsecondary pathways. We’ll reach that goal when it’s culturally natural to celebrate the kid going off to trade school, the military or specialized industry training with the same excitement as the kid headed off to college.
The college degrees that don’t hire well
For those seeking a strategic way to go to college and make sure it pays off, a clear-eyed look at the majors with high and low underemployment may help guide that choice.
According to the data from higher education research group Degreechoices, these are the ten degrees with the highest rates of underemployment:
- Criminal justice: 71.5%
- Performing arts: 65.9%
- Art history: 62.3%
- Leisure and hospitality: 57.6%
- Liberal arts: 56.7%
- Animal and plant sciences: 56.3%
- Fine arts: 55.5%
- Miscellaneous technologies: 54.8%
- Business management: 53.6%
- History: 53.5%
The college degrees with the lowest underemployment
In contrast, these fields have the lowest levels of underemployment:
- Nursing: 11.1%
- Special Education: 12.1%
- Computer Engineering: 13.3%
- Elementary Education: 13.5% 1.5%
- Civil Engineering: 15.9%
- Computer Science: 16.7%
- Chemical Engineering: 17.8%
- Aerospace Engineering: 17.9%
- Early Childhood Education: 18.2%
- General Education: 19.6%
- Mechanical Engineering: 20.3%
- Miscellaneous Education: 20.6%
- Electrical Engineering: 20.9%
- Accounting: 21.0%
- Secondary Education: 22.0%
- Pharmacy: 23.5%
- Industrial Engineering: 24.6%
- Architecture: 25.1%
- Miscellaneous Engineering: 26.2%
- Mathematics: 27.6%
Is college the right choice?
When I address audiences across North America, there’s almost always a concerned parent who asks if college is still a good choice for their child. Honestly, the answer is a big maybe.
I’m a fan of going to college—if, and only if, it aligns with your career plan. College is not the best time or place to figure out your career direction. It’s the most expensive time of life and unfortunately, too many programs aren’t yet aligned with real-world workforce needs. The pressure to ‘just pick something’ can be all too real, leading some students toward fields that may not be the right fit.
But if you’ve done the career exploration and have a clear picture of 1.) the lifestyle you want to live and 2.) the career that best intersects with that lifestyle and your talents, interests and abilities, and if college is a necessary step to reach that destination, then go!
In a fast-changing job market, college can still be the right choice when approached strategically. Go with purpose, go with passion, and get it done as efficiently as you can.Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/markcperna/2025/01/14/best-college-degrees-to-avoid-underemployment
26 Comments
I’m not certain where you are getting your info, however good topic.
I must spend a while learning more or figuring out more. Thank you for magnificent info I was looking for this info for my mission.
My web-site :: nordvpn coupons inspiresensation
Thank you for every other informative blog. Where else may
I get that type of information written in such an ideal
method? I’ve a mission that I am just now working on, and I have been at
the look out for such information.
Also visit my webpage; eharmony special coupon code 2025
Thanks for finally writing about > America’s Best College Degrees
If You Want To Avoid Being Underemployed – GSRA – Global Students Recruitment
Advisors vpn
It’s enormous that you are getting ideas from this post as well as from our argument
made at this time. gamefly https://tinyurl.com/2ab5s5qz
I really like looking through a post that will make men and women think.
Also, thank you for allowing for me to comment!
What is vpn stand for https://tinyurl.com/2dhs6xmh
When I originally commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get four emails
with the same comment. Is there any way you
can remove me from that service? Appreciate it!
Some really fantastic information, Gladiola I observed this. “Always be ready to speak your mind and a base man will avoid you.” by William Blake.
I am only commenting to make you be aware of of the great discovery my daughter experienced reading your site. She came to understand a good number of details, not to mention how it is like to possess a very effective coaching heart to let a number of people easily have an understanding of a variety of problematic subject matter. You truly exceeded readers’ expected results. I appreciate you for rendering such great, dependable, revealing and in addition cool tips on this topic to Jane.
Wonderful site. A lot of helpful information here. I am sending it to a few pals ans additionally sharing in delicious. And certainly, thank you for your sweat!
I’m very happy to find this page. I want to to thank you for ones time due to this fantastic read!!
I definitely savored every little bit of it and i also have you bookmarked to look at new stuff in your
web site. https://tinyurl.com/ylp5rfgb eharmony special coupon code 2025
When I initially commented I clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now every time a remark is added I get four emails with the identical comment. Is there any approach you may remove me from that service? Thanks!
You are my aspiration, I possess few blogs and often run out from to post .
I’m really enjoying the design and layout of your site. It’s a very easy on the eyes which makes it much more pleasant for me to come here and visit more often. Did you hire out a designer to create your theme? Exceptional work!
You made some decent points there. I looked on the internet for the subject and found most guys will approve with your website.
Superb website you have here but I was wanting to know if you knew of any user discussion forums that cover the same topics discussed here? I’d really love to be a part of group where I can get feedback from other experienced individuals that share the same interest. If you have any recommendations, please let me know. Thanks a lot!
Hey there! I’m at work surfing around your blog from my new iphone 3gs! Just wanted to say I love reading your blog and look forward to all your posts! Carry on the superb work!
I couldn’t resist commenting
hey there and thanks on your info – I’ve certainly picked up something new from proper here. I did however experience some technical points using this site, since I skilled to reload the site a lot of times previous to I may just get it to load correctly. I were puzzling over in case your hosting is OK? Not that I am complaining, however sluggish loading instances instances will very frequently affect your placement in google and could harm your high quality ranking if advertising and ***********|advertising|advertising|advertising and *********** with Adwords. Well I’m including this RSS to my email and could glance out for much extra of your respective exciting content. Make sure you replace this again very soon..
Hey! I know this is somewhat off topic but I was wondering which blog platform are you using for this site? I’m getting fed up of WordPress because I’ve had problems with hackers and I’m looking at options for another platform. I would be great if you could point me in the direction of a good platform.
A powerful share, I simply given this onto a colleague who was doing a little bit evaluation on this. And he in truth bought me breakfast because I discovered it for him.. smile. So let me reword that: Thnx for the treat! But yeah Thnkx for spending the time to discuss this, I really feel strongly about it and love studying extra on this topic. If doable, as you turn out to be experience, would you mind updating your weblog with extra particulars? It’s highly useful for me. Large thumb up for this blog post!
whoah this blog is fantastic i like studying your posts. Stay up the good paintings! You realize, a lot of individuals are looking round for this information, you can help them greatly.
This is the right site for everyone who wants to understand this
topic. You understand so much its almost tough to argue with you (not that I personally would want to…HaHa).
You definitely put a new spin on a subject that has been discussed for many years.
Wonderful stuff, just excellent!
Review my web site – https://tinyurl.com/2pye4ya3
I haven¦t checked in here for some time because I thought it was getting boring, but the last several posts are great quality so I guess I will add you back to my daily bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂
I’ve been absent for some time, but now I remember why I used to love this site. Thanks , I will try and check back more frequently. How frequently you update your site?
Great work! This is the type of information that should be shared around the internet. Shame on the search engines for not positioning this post higher! Come on over and visit my web site . Thanks =)
I’ve recently started a web site, the info you provide on this website has helped me tremendously. Thank you for all of your time & work.