How to invest as a teenager: father and son using a laptop

Beginner

What should I major in? 5 factors to consider when choosing a major

Share via

Heading off to college? Allow us to say — Congratulations! 🥳 Going to college is a huge milestone and something to be super proud of.

College is often the first chapter of your adult life. And adulting means making decisions. Choosing a major is one of the first decisions you have to make. It affects the classes you take and the jobs you apply to — making this decision a big one.

The importance of choosing the right major

Although it may seem like picking a major is as simple as choosing your favorite subject — it’s important to put a lot of thought into your decision. Choosing a major that you enjoy and has good job prospects leads to a fulfilling and financially rewarding future. Who doesn’t love the sound of that?

Think of it like a ven-diagram. One side of the ven-diagram is financial security, and the other is filled with your passions and interests. Finding one of the topics in the middle will help you find a career you love that supports your lifestyle.

For example, if you’re interested in the medical field and love caring for people, nursing might be right for you. The median base salary for nurses is $58,928. Alternatively, computer science might be a great option if you like to code and work on computers. Computer science graduates earn a median base salary of $70,000.

TLDR; The right major equals the right long-term opportunities for your happiness AND your bank account.

5 factors to consider when choosing a major 🎓

If you’re wondering, “What major should I choose?” — We’re here to help. These five factors will help you make a well-rounded decision that feels right.

1. Interests and passions

Imagine spending four years studying something you love. Exciting, right?

The first things to consider when choosing a major are your favorite activities, hobbies, and school subjects. When we say there are majors for every interest, we mean it — so brainstorm which majors align with your passions.

Let’s look at some examples.

Example 1: You love playing soccer, and your favorite school subject is math. Majors that align with one or both of these interests include:

Sports journalism
Sports management
Mechanical engineering
Industrial engineering
Physical therapy
Exercise science
Finance
Mathematics

Example 2: You do community theater, love to write, and always give your friends advice. Majors that align with your interests include:

Theatre
Public relations
Journalism
Psychology
Counseling
Communications
Marketing
Media studies

Both of these lists could go on and on, so it’s important to consider all your options! There is bound to be at least one major that excites you. Bonus: you get to spend years doing something you really enjoy.

2. Skills and strengths

Now that we’ve discussed what you love, let’s talk about what you’re good at. We have a sneaking suspicion there’s some overlap.

Outlining your strengths is a great way to tweak your list of potential majors.

Let’s use the first example from above. You love playing soccer, and your favorite school subject is math. After some consideration, you also realize that you’re great at science and teaching new information to your classmates.

Given this info, you update your list of potential majors to include the following:

Sports journalism
Sports management
Mechanical engineering
Industrial engineering
Physical therapy
Exercise science
Finance
Mathematics
Physics
Education

Each of these majors leads to jobs that combine your interest in math with your skills in science and teaching others. 📚 A win-win!

3. Career opportunities and market demand

Let’s talk about goals🏅

Landing a great job after graduation is usually the main goal of a college degree. So, in addition to finding a major you enjoy, it’s important to find one that leads to the career opportunities you want.

There are a few ways to determine what career opportunities are available post-grad. The first is to research different career paths. The career path of an accounting major will look completely different from the career path of an education major or a pre-med major. Spend some time looking at the career paths and promotion opportunities for the majors you’re interested in.

Another way to find high-growth opportunities? Look for jobs that are in demand or in emerging industries. For example, healthcare occupations have experienced growth in recent years due to high demand.

Pro-tip: If you’re looking for high-income potential, review the highest-paying college majors.

4. Values and lifestyle

Choosing a major — and a career — is a personal choice. The right one for you aligns with your values and priorities in life.

Here are a few lifestyle factors and personal values to consider before choosing.

Lifestyle factors:

Income potential
Work-life balance
Remote vs. in-person work
Benefits and vacation

Values:

Who your work is serving
Continued learning opportunities
Collaborative vs. independent environment

TLDR; Whatever is important to you is what really matters.

Let’s look at this in action by revisiting our example. Imagine that you narrow your list of majors to two choices based on your interests, skills, and potential job opportunities. Let’s review how each aligns with different lifestyle factors and values.

Physical therapy: As a physical therapist, you would be helping people heal and learn new skills. You would also make a good salary, have a flexible schedule, and be hands-on in your day-to-day job. However, you would need additional schooling — which costs more money and takes time — and the job can be physically demanding.
Industrial engineering: As an engineer, you can work in many different industries and for many types of companies. This gives you a lot of flexibility in your career path and a high earning potential. Unlike physical therapy, your day-to-day as an industrial engineer will likely involve working in an office.

5. Flexibility and future pathways

If you’re thinking, “But, what if I change my mind?” — Don’t worry. You’re not alone 🙂

Students change majors, and professionals change careers. Adulting means making decisions, remember? And making the decision to change your mind is always an option.

Choosing a major with transferable skills and multiple job pathways makes it much easier to pivot later.

Let’s use our example again. Imagine choosing an industrial engineering major. However, after the first year, you decide it isn’t right for you. Since many entry-level engineering classes are based on math and science, you may be able to transfer them to another math or science major — like mathematics, physics, or another type of engineering.

Additional resources and support

If you’re still wondering how to choose a major, that’s okay. Big decisions take time. The great news is that there are lots of helpful resources to help you make a choice.

Associations

Most college majors have national associations you can join. These associations usually have free resources, information about career opportunities, and conferences to help you network.

Here are just a few to get you started:

Guidance counselors

Speaking to a guidance counselor is a great way to talk to someone one-on-one about potential career paths. They have experience working with students of all backgrounds and interests about their college and major choices.

Career centers

Most colleges have career centers. These centers are there to help students find jobs. They host career fairs and networking events and can connect you to alums in different fields.

Internships

Internships let you try a job before actually accepting a full-time role. What better way to decide if you like a particular major or industry? Some businesses also accept interns before college, so if you want to try a job — speak to someone at a local business you’re interested in and see if they hire interns. Many college career centers will also help connect you to internship opportunities once you become a student.

Networking

Want a better idea of the day-to-day responsibilities in any given career? Talk to the professionals that do that job every day. Consider asking trusted adults in your life — like your parents, their friends, teachers, and coaches — about their career experience.

Choosing the right major? Check.

Now that you have the tools and resources to choose a major, you can decide and fully enjoy the next chapter in life 📖

Ready for the next step? Get ahead in your career and financial life — with Greenlight — the money app for teens. It has all the tips you need to excel in college and beyond. Including instructions on how to write a resume for your first job or internship.