With the high cost of college today, making the most of your college education is vital to your career success. The proper selection of a major is one of the most important decisions that a student will have to make during college. While finding something you love is great, being aware of the job market and employment prospects for your degree must be considered as part of the big picture.
If you are going to spend tens of thousands of dollars on your education, you owe it to yourself and your family to get an education that will earn a living commensurate with the cost that was paid. Now there are no guarantees that you will get a job and start a career in any field that you select, but selecting a poor college major is one way to build a large roadblock at the start of any career.
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Parents and college advisers should be helping these students with an "employment reality check". Before a student finally decides on a major, they need to engage in a serious discussion about their future job prospects with this degree. If there are no jobs available with this degree, maybe we should be looking harder at our alternatives.
So here are five college majors that provide VERY LITTLE opportunity for employment upon graduation.
1. Religion: Having a degree will be useful if you plan to become a priest, pastor or minister. But most of these positions of God come with free training and offer heavenly rewards, not monetary. It can be hard to pay off your high student loans on a pastor's salary.
2. Latin: If you have chosen to get a Latin degree, you already have a high tolerance for pain. Expect more of it as you enter the job world. Other than teaching Latin, which would require more schooling to get a teaching degree, plus a masters degree later, there aren't too many jobs for a Latin expert.
3. English Literature: It is wonderful to be well versed in English literature, but what positions do you apply for upon graduation. Maybe a book editor or a writer, but they require different skills, so that ma not pan out without additional degrees or training. Unless you have plans for a masters before you even start college, avoid this degree or you may be well versed and working as a book store clerk. And underpaid for sure!
4. Music Therapy: This sounds so refreshing and relaxing. The truth is... it is. But you don't need a degree to listen to music that relaxes you. You just need an I-pod, a radio or a CD. None of these items will cost any more than one semesters books, so why would anyone pay you a living wage to be a music therapist. Please avoid these types of majors, but they are out there.
5. Art History: If you are already the curator of an art museum, then maybe you will want to get a degree as an art history major. But there aren't too many curators out there and they usually have business degrees to help them run the business side of the museum. An art history minor may be great if you think you are destined for the museum. Other wise you might be a clerk or tour guide at the art museum with a very expensive piece of paper that says you are good at it.
Other problematic majors: Dance, Communications, American Studies, Philosophy, and Film. Each of these degrees has such a narrow focus with so few jobs available that you might have a better chance of winning the lottery than landing a good job. Now you can always go to graduate school, spend more money and get a masters degree in something else that would be more marketable, but these degrees by themselves offer very little potential.
Summary: These are five of the worst prospects for jobs upon graduation. So be mindful of your desire to earn a living as well as pursue a passion. Unless you are a trust fund baby that never needs to work a day in your life, the cost of an education needs to help build an enjoyable and prosperous career. One that will provide an income that can help support your needs and allow you to enjoy the fruits of your labor. So make the most of it. Your future will look brighter and your income will help you do the things that you always wanted.
If you would like to discover more about these college choices along with strategies to help increase financial aid and reduce college expenses, you can download our FREE College Cost Savings Kit by clicking here.
Please feel free to print this article and share it with your friends, especially if they are in the early stages of deciding on a career path. You may help them save some headaches and possibly a bundle of cash.
Five Worst College Majors For Employment After Graduation
Keith Maderer is the father of five college age students, with three currently in college, and has been a financial, investment and tax adviser in Buffalo, New York since 1981. He is the author of "How To Get Your College Education For Less". Available on Amazon.com - ISBN No: 978-1-4538-2053-7
To get your FREE College Cost Savings Kit, visit http://www.CollegeEducationForLess.com