Choosing a college major is a difficult step for many people, and there is a lot to think about. Many people find themselves asking not just what career they would enjoy, but also what career will be in high demand. Some degrees are much more common than others, and some jobs are growing at a rapid pace. Graduates who have less-common degrees or who are well-positioned for careers in fast-growing markets will automatically have an advantage in the job hunt. Here are some of the degrees that are currently in high demand.
Marketing
Professionals with a business marketing degree are in high demand as organizations seek to promote their products and services to customers. Marketing careers in general are expected to grow by about 10% In the coming years, which is higher than average. People with marketing degrees often work in jobs such as marketing analyst, content marketing strategy, development, advertising, digital marketing, marketing assistant, marketing analyst, and marketing director. Marketing education, in general, is highly desirable for people who work in business fields, want to be entrepreneurs, or start their own businesses. This is also a degree that is a great option for people who want the ability to work from home or freelance in the future.
Nursing
The demand for nurses is high and will continue to grow as the population ages and the healthcare industry expands. Nursing is one of the fastest-growing and most needed professions and usually pays comparatively well for the education it requires. Unlike many positions, a bachelor’s degree is not required to become a registered nurse, although having a bachelor’s degree in nursing can put you in a more favorable position to become a director or teacher later.
Nursing is a varied field that people with many different interests, preferences, and talents will find fulfilling. Typical nursing careers include patient care at hospitals, nursing homes, and doctor’s offices as well as hospice and home health nurses who visit patients in their homes. Other nurses work remotely for call service and telemedicine companies or travel from place to place doing contract work.
Computer Science
The need for skilled computer scientists is expected to remain strong as the tech industry continues to grow. A degree in computer science can allow the graduate to pursue careers in information security, computer systems, software development, and many other diverse options. One of the advantages of many of these jobs is the ability to do them remotely or digitally from anywhere, a feature that is becoming highly desirable in this age of the Great Resignation. The ability to work from anywhere allows employees to save money and time, travel, and live in areas away from large cities or with low costs of living. In addition, people with computer science degrees are also in a good position to work as freelancers or be self-employed.
Healthcare Administration
As the aging population needs more care facilities and medical professionals, the healthcare industry will continue to expand. Demand for healthcare administrators is expected to grow. Medical jobs in general are growing much faster than the rest of the job market and healthcare administration is no different. The US bureau of labor statistics estimates that healthcare administration careers will grow by 28% in the coming years. Healthcare administration is a management position with a lot of responsibility. Besides managing medical facilities such as hospitals and nursing homes, healthcare administrators can also be involved in jobs with insurance companies, home health facilities, and clinics.
Data Science
The need for new data scientists is expected to increase as organizations increasingly rely on data analytics to make informed decisions. The bureau of labor statistics estimates data scientist careers could grow by 36%, which is much higher than the average career. This makes a degree in data science a good choice. A person with a degree in data science will be well prepared to pursue a variety of careers in fields such as software development, computer systems, statistics, database administration, data analysis, data engineering, and data management. As you can see, there are a lot of options for people with this degree, making it ideal for those who aren’t entirely sure what career path they want to follow. This may also be a good degree choice for people who want to pursue remote work or freelancing in the future.
Finance
The finance industry is expected to continue to grow, leading to increased demand for finance professionals. Graduates with a finance degree will find a variety of jobs waiting for them depending on the specific degree they acquired, their personality, and the direction they want their career to go. Possible career paths include investing strategies and investment analyst jobs, which are usually positions working with investors, broker companies, and banks. Other job paths for those with degrees in finance lie in the banking Industry, such as positions as loan officers. Finally, some people with financial degrees seek to work directly with clients and become self-employed professionals such as financial advisers and accountants.
Electrical Engineering
As the use of technology continues to increase, and we become more dependent on it, the demand for electrical engineers will remain strong. Common careers for people with an electrical engineering degree include computer hardware design, civil engineering, jobs in aerospace and construction, and jobs in science fields such as physical science. Other people with electrical engineering degrees prefer to go into education and teach science or engineering in both high school and university positions.
Conclusion
Choosing a degree that positions you to be competitive in the job market is a top priority for many strategic students. There are some fields, such as healthcare, that are expected to grow rapidly and any person with a medical or healthcare-related degree will have good careers to choose from. Other fields are growing at an average rate but have fewer qualified applicants and fewer students pursuing the necessary degrees. A person with these degrees will also be in a good position in the job market.
No matter what approach you take to choosing a major and career path, you can help make yourself as marketable as possible with work experience, volunteer time, excellent grades, and an enthusiastic can-do attitude.