The Top Five In-Demand Majors

In case you were wondering, here are the top five in-demand majors (I can't tell if the salary assigned to them is a starting salary or an average):

1. Mechanical Engineering ($57,821) -- Job outlook: As more engineers retire, and many professionals transfer to managerial positions, job opportunities are good.

2. Accounting ($47,429) -- Job outlook: Thanks to retirees and a faster-than-average job growth due to new business and changing financial laws and regulations, accountants can enjoy favorable job opportunities.

3. Finance ($48,616) -- Job outlook: Personal financial advisors are projected to be among the 10 fastest-growing occupations. Though job growth is strong across the board, competition is still keen for finance positions.

4. Business Administration/Management ($44,195) -- Job outlook: Jobs are projected to grow as quickly as average among all occupations. Competition for top-level business administration management jobs will be high while more opportunities will exist for lower-level management jobs and facility managers.

5. Civil Engineering ($50,940) -- Job outlook: Employment growth for civil engineers is expected to move at a pace that is faster than the average for all occupations.

#3 made me laugh. Are you sure they didn't mean "salesman"? ;-)

Comments

[LC]

Yay for #1! I am a mechanical engineer, and I would guess that those salaries are staring salaries. I started at slightly less than that but it was a few years ago, in a low cost of living city, so I'm guessing that's pretty close to the national average for staring salary.

[Angie]

I would say that they are an average starting salary. Just a note, even though they are "in-demand" that doesn't make job hunting very easy still. I graduated in mechanical engineering last year, and still took a month or two of solid looking and leads to get a job.

[Larry C]

Only a month or two to get a job? Consider yourself lucky!

[Kevin]

Count me in #2 and thinking about expanding my horizons and adding #3 (fee-based planning) for my clients in the future.

[Val]

So should people study in college what they want or what can get them a job? I am suddenly rethinking my Sociology major...

[Angie]

I actually found my job 8 months before I completed school and started the week after. It took about 3 months of interviews and looking around. But I thought that was normal.

@Val: Depends if you actually want to like work, or you will sacrifice so you can retire comfortably (and relatively early!). I chose the latter.

[Jim]

Val,

I would seriously look at what the career prospects are for your chosen major. You should at least be aware of whats out there and where you can potentially work.

I for one would not pick a major and future career path based just on whats 'hot' today. We each have varying skills and aptitudes and we'll generally do best at what we are good at.

So in general I'd look at what you're good at and enjoy doing and then see how you can best turn your interests and skills into a career.

Another tactic to consider is pursuing a dual/double major. For example, maybe you love Art but realize that you won't be able to pay the bills with it then you might consider an Art / Business degree and go into something like managing an art gallery or an art store.

Jim

[EN]

Hey don't laugh!

Finance is my major. :)

[Keith]

If #3 was so hot, why'd I get laid off and now doing #2? Sheesh. Financial planning is soooo oversaturated, competition is too much!

[asithi]

I am a civil engineer. Never had problems with finding a job. Every time I look, there is someone hiring. The key though is to make sure to do that college internship. That will get you an interview even if your grades are not good. Yep, C student here.

[LC]

Val - Don't pick a major based on what they say are the in demand fields. You should plan your major based on what you want to do. However, you should avoid limiting yourself by your major. Perhaps majoring in psychology will give you most of the same options as a sociology major, but will also open a few more options just in case. For the same reason, I would recommend mechanical, electrical, civil or chemical engineering rather than something more specialized like agricultural engineering. With the 1st degree, you can do most engineering jobs, but with the 2nd you can do only 1 without additional training.

[perfectsplit]

I am writing in response to the article, “The Top 5 In-Demand Majors” by Elizabeth Weiss McGolerick. It lists Mechanical Engineering as the most in-demand major.

I have a BME, an MSME, 5 years of IT experience, and 3 years engineering experience, and I can't get a job anywhere! In every job I ever apply to, they always want 5-10 years experience doing exactly what the job entails. I am living off unemployment checks, which are going to stop coming in November. And I still have $31400 of student loan debt from my WORTHLESS degrees!

I did everything society told me to do: I stayed in school, I said "no" to drugs, I didn't drink, I didn't smoke, I didn't gamble, I didn't have unmarried sex, I went to college, and I got my education. And now my only reward is to be treated like an EX-CON!

I would be better off making a living by selling drugs or robbing banks. Or maybe I should hire a team of mercenaries to take hostages and demand ransom, like Ed Harris did in that movie “The Rock“. At least that way I would be able to pay my bills!

DOWN WITH COLLEGE! DOWN WITH MECHANICAL ENGINEERING!

[MasterPo]

Perfectsplit - What did you study in school? What were your grades like? Your GPA?

Your degree is totally up to you. If you spend 5 years getting a Bachelors in Nordic Literature with a minor in Middle Ages Art History the WTF do you expect?! Even a "general" degree in communications, english, philosophy just won't cut it anymore. You need something of substance.

[n00bie101]

MasterPo,

Did you read his post at all? Clearly he studied Mechanical Engineering at both the undergraduate and masters level. The only thing he didn't clarify was his GPA, but considering he got into graduate school, it couldn't have been anything below a 3.0.

I totally agree with you perfectsplit- ME is the most worthless major ever. it's ***IMPOSSIBLE*** to get any job that's worthwhile. and the pay is TERRIBLE.

I've come to realize that there are only 6 disciplines in life that are worth pursuing: Doctor, Lawyer, Business, Electrical Engineer, Computer Scientist, Chemical Engineer. anything else is just a waste of time

As to Val, and any kids that are choosing majors now: please do yourself a favor. Pick from the above list. It doesn't matter if you "don't like it". seriously, work is work, so you'll hate it anyways. Even if you major in something you like, you're going to hate your job. Might as well just accept that, and pick from the above list. In the long run you'll be much more satisfied as you have a steady job that actually PAYS you decent money