Many people say you should study what you enjoy at college, but this isn’t always the best advice. As time moves on, different career paths become more prosperous than others, and, from this, we see some specialties fall by the wayside. Let’s take a look at a few college degrees that, for various reasons, are now seen as less valuable by some in today’s evolving job market
Music Performance
Very few people who study music actually make it as famous musicians. Unfortunately, top careers in music performance are extremely competitive and generally require having industry connections. A large proportion of music graduates instead go into careers such as teaching and sound engineering jobs.
Environmental Science
According to Forbes, an Environmental Science degree lasts four years and covers a broad range of topics. It would be a shame to put all that effort and money into learning about Environmental Science, just to find yourself jobless at the end. But unfortunately, this is the case for a growing number of graduates in this field.
Creative Writing
Many believe that creative writing is an innate ability, not a taught one. The Guardian says funding for creative writing courses is sparse, and student loans are a risky method, with no promise of any financial return in a field where job opportunities are also sparse. Success depends on perseverance and talent, rather than a college degree.
Fine Arts
Becoming a well-off artist is notoriously difficult these days. With limited job prospects and low starting salaries, even the best painters and drawers may find themselves out of pocket. This means that fine arts degrees aren’t the most practical option for those needing financial stability, which is most of us!
Philosophy
Philosophy, as Britannica states, is the rational, abstract, and methodical consideration of reality and human existence. While this sounds interesting, these types of degrees often lead to careers in teaching or academia, which are competitive and not always well-paying. To make things worse, additional qualifications are often needed to enter serious professions.
Anthropology
With a small job market for this study area, anthropologists might find themselves struggling to find work after years of studying. Most successful graduates end up working in completely unrelated fields, where their specialized knowledge isn’t used. This means the return on investment is low compared to the cost of the degree.
Communications
Broad communications degrees can lack the specialized skills employers are looking for in the digital age. The rise of digital media and self-taught skills often surpasses what is taught in traditional communications programs, and many graduates find themselves needing further specialization or additional degrees.
Religious Studies
While studying religion is the most important thing for many people, they might want to rethink it as a potential career option. Usually, religious studies career paths are limited to academic, ministry, or nonprofit work, which doesn’t pay too well. Taking a different humanities degree with a broader range of opportunities is the way to go.
Journalism
According to Pew Research Center, newspapers have been in significant decline since the mid 2000s, as a result of the rise of digital media. This means that jobs in journalism are getting fewer and farther between, and many roles are now freelance with low entry-level salaries – so it’s probably worth steering clear of this degree.
Sociology
The study of people isn’t the best way to get your finances in check, because the practical application of sociology skills is limited outside of specific, low-paying sectors. Lots of Sociology graduates struggle to find jobs directly related to their field, leading to underemployment and regret over taking the wrong degree.
Gender Studies
You’d think that in our more progressive society, there would be plenty of job opportunities for people graduating with a Gender Studies degree, but unfortunately this is simply not the case. Specialized degrees like this are often very limited, and with the competitive nature of searching for employment now, there are more valued degree options out there to choose from.
Art History
Even though this is a unique degree to have, there aren’t many job opportunities for graduates. Work in academia, museums, and galleries is highly competitive and often doesn’t pay a great wage, and a lot of the time, art history roles require advanced degrees, meaning the expenditure on education is even higher.
Theatre Arts
Theater arts degrees often lead to low-paying and unstable career paths in acting or production. Typically, success in theater depends on network connections and experience rather than formal education. Because of this, a high proportion of theater arts graduates find themselves working in unrelated jobs to support their artistic pursuits.
English Literature
Many graduates of English Literature do end up securing successful roles in publishing, education, marketing etc. But, these degrees don’t directly lead to specific career paths, making the job search more challenging. English majors regularly end up in jobs where they’re not using their degree, such as admin jobs.
Fashion Design
If you dream of using your creative skills in a professional context, maybe consider studying something other than Fashion Design, because the industry is highly competitive and unstable. Many successful designers don’t actually hold college degrees, instead gaining experience through internships and apprenticeships.
Film Studies
Film and TV careers are seriously competitive – how many famous directors do you know in real life? The number of applicants for these types of roles is overwhelming, and generally, success depends on who you know, not what you know. Paying off your student loan will be challenging without a decent salary!
Culinary Arts
Why go to college to become a chef? Going to culinary school can be really expensive, and in reality, you don’t need a degree to train. When you compare the actual salaries of chefs to the cost of college, it’s not worth spending so much on learning how to cook – which you should already know how to do if this is a serious career option.
Photography
The rise of digital technology and accessible equipment has reduced the need to educate new photographers, and not to mention – the job market is extremely competitive. Many photography graduates are struggling to find well-paid positions that aren’t unstable freelance roles, and most successful photographers are self-taught anyway.