Which College Majors Have the Highest (And Lowest) Employment Rates

Want great career prospects to go with your degree? Of course you do. But for some recent college graduates, finding employment can be a challenge. While certain majors are in demand and command high salaries, others take longer to establish. That has a lot to do with competition and emerging business needs.

Which Major is Best?

A recent report by researchers at Georgetown University analyzes the employability of many different majors, with some interesting findings. While some majors are in high demand, other ones—which can be very closely related—make it tough to find a job. Most encouraging: unemployment rates have been dropping for the majority of top college majors since the recession. Students of architecture face a very tough job market, but those studying natural resources and agriculture enjoy excellent job prospects. How does your major stack up? Can you find a niche that will place you into a more favorable job market? Need credit for your degree? Take two free lessons on us today!

College Majors with Highest and Lowest Unemployment Rates

7 Majors With the Highest Employment Rates

While these majors may not be the highest paid, they are consistently in demand in the modern business world for recent college graduates. These majors cover a wide range, creating lots of opportunities for students in almost any field. What are the most employable majors in your chosen field?

1. Agriculture and Natural Resources - Recent College Graduate Unemployment: 4.5%  / Experienced Grad: 3%
2. Physical Sciences - Recent College Graduate Unemployment: 5%  / Experienced Grad: 4.5%
3. Education -
4. Industrial Arts, Consumer Services, and Recreation - Recent College Graduate Unemployment: 5.4%  / Experienced Grad: 4.4%
5. Health - Recent College Graduate Unemployment: 6.1%  / Experienced Grad: 2.5%
6. Engineering - Recent College Graduate Unemployment: 6.5%  / Experienced Grad: 3.5%
7. Business - Recent College Graduate Unemployment: 7%  / Experienced Grad: 4.5%

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7 Majors With the Highest Unemployment Rates

Majors in social sciences dominate here, with very high unemployment rates. Architecture is another surprising find that requires its students to undergo several years of specialized education, only to face a very crowded job market.

1. Architecture - Recent College Graduate Unemployment: 10%  / Experienced Grad: 7.3%
2. Social Science - Recent College Graduate Unemployment: 10%  / Experienced Grad: 5.4%
3. Arts - Recent College Graduate Unemployment: 9.5%  / Experienced Grad: 6.7%
4. Psychology and Social Work - Recent College Graduate Unemployment: 9%  / Experienced Grad: 6.1%
5. Law and Public Policy - Recent College Graduate Unemployment: 8.6%  / Experienced Grad: 4.3%
6. Humanities and Liberal Arts - Recent College Graduate Unemployment: 8.4%  / Experienced Grad: 5.8%
7. Computers, Statistics, and Math - Recent College Graduate Unemployment: 8.3%  / Experienced Grad: 4.3%

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