For those entering the workforce, a college education may be more important now than ever before. Labor Department data reveals that over 90% of new jobs are being filled by those with a four-year college degree.
In keeping with this trend, while enrollment has recently trended downward, the number of Americans with a college degree has risen over the decades. As recently as the 1980s, fewer than one in five American adults had a bachelor’s degree. Today, more than one in three do.
As the number of college-educated Americans is at a record high, the job market is becoming increasingly competitive and not all degrees are equally likely to translate into gainful employment. While the majority of college majors have unemployment rates of 3% or lower, there are others with jobless numbers closer to 9%.
Choosing a field of study in college is a personal decision often based on interests and talents. But for those who value employability after graduation above all else, some fields may be best avoided. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from the U.S. Census Bureau to identify the college majors with the highest unemployment rates.
It is important to note that while those who major in these fields are at an increased risk of joblessness, most of the majors on this list still have a lower unemployment rate than the broader labor force as a whole, underscoring the importance of a college education, regardless of major.
10. Computer administration management and security
Unemployment: 5.1%
> Avg. salary: $63,989
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 24.3%
> BA holders in labor force: 71,782
9. Communication technologies
> Unemployment: 5.1%
> Avg. salary: $46,868
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 11.1%
> BA holders in labor force: 85,279
8. Drama and theater arts
> Unemployment: 5.3%
> Avg. salary: $45,469
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 27.7%
> BA holders in labor force: 236,240
7. Multi/interdisciplinary studies
Unemployment: 5.6%
> Avg. salary: $44,376
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 30.3%
> BA holders in labor force: 70,990
6. Film video and photographic arts
Unemployment: 6.0%
> Avg. salary: $48,999
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 15.1%
> BA holders in labor force: 163,172
5. Mining and mineral engineering
Unemployment: 6.2%
> Avg. salary: $82,897
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 57.1%
> BA holders in labor force: 13,541
4. Educational psychology
Unemployment: 6.5%
> Avg. salary: $37,766
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 0.0%
> BA holders in labor force: 24,730
3. Linguistics and comparative language and literature
> Unemployment: 6.7%
> Avg. salary: $41,777
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 61.0%
> BA holders in labor force: 102,650
2. Petroleum engineering
> Unemployment: 7.9%
> Avg. salary: $118,721
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 23.4%
> BA holders in labor force: 26,461
1. Military technologies
Unemployment: 8.9%
> Avg. salary: $59,954
> BA holders with a master’s degree: 67.1%
> BA holders in labor force: 5,616
Source: 24/7 Wall St
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