What Should I Major In? A Practical Guide

Let's talk about the major decision

Here's the thing about choosing a college major: everyone acts like it's this life-or-death choice that will determine your entire future. It's not. But it's also not nothing.

The average college graduate carries over $30,000 in debt, and different majors do lead to wildly different earning potentials. So yeah, it matters. But probably not in the way you think.

The advice you keep hearing (and why it's incomplete)

"Follow your passion!" Okay, but what if your passion is video games and sleeping in? What if you don't have a clear passion yet? Most 17-year-olds don't, and that's completely normal.

"Pick what pays the most!" Sure, petroleum engineering pays well. But if you hate math and can't stand the idea of living in West Texas, you're going to have a bad time.

"It doesn't matter, you can do anything with any degree!" Technically true. My friend with an English degree now works in tech. But she had to take a pretty roundabout path to get there. Starting with a more directly applicable major would've been easier.

A better way to think about this

Instead of trying to predict the future, focus on the intersection of three things:

First, what kinds of thinking come naturally to you? Some people are naturally analytical. Others are creative. Some are great with people. There's no wrong answer here, but being honest with yourself matters.

Second, what genuinely interests you? Not what sounds impressive or what your parents want - what do you actually find yourself reading about or doing when nobody's watching?

Third, what does the job market actually look like? This is where data helps. Some fields are growing, others are shrinking. Some pay well, others don't. You don't have to optimize for money, but you should at least know what you're getting into.

Matching personality to majors

If you tend to be hands-on and practical, engineering, computer science, or environmental science might fit well. These fields typically have strong job markets too.

If you're more of a thinker who likes digging into problems, consider data science, economics, or research-focused fields. The analytical skills transfer to lots of careers.

If you're creative and need room to express yourself, look at design, communications, or marketing. Just know that these fields can be competitive, so building a portfolio matters.

If you're drawn to helping people, nursing, education, social work, or public health could be good fits. These jobs aren't going away.

If you like leading and persuading, business, finance, or even political science might work. These are broad fields with lots of directions you can take.

The "undecided" approach that actually works

If you genuinely don't know, that's fine. Here's what to do:

Freshman year, take your general requirements plus one intro class from 3-4 different areas you're considering. Pay attention to which ones you actually enjoy versus which ones feel like a slog.

Sophomore year, narrow it down to 2-3 options. Take the more advanced courses in each. Talk to upperclassmen about what the major is really like once you get deeper in.

By the end of sophomore year, you'll have enough real information to make a good decision. This beats guessing at 17.

The honest truth about "wrong" choices

About 30% of college students change their major at least once. Another chunk end up in careers unrelated to what they studied.

This isn't failure - it's normal. The goal isn't to pick the perfect major. It's to pick a reasonable one that you'll actually enjoy studying, that teaches you useful skills, and that doesn't leave you drowning in debt for a field that doesn't pay.

You can always adjust. The working world is more flexible than the college system makes it seem. But starting with some self-awareness makes everything easier.

What to do this week

Take a career assessment to get a sense of your personality profile. Look at the career matches and see which ones resonate. Then look up what majors lead to those careers.

Talk to at least one person actually working in a field you're considering. Ask them what they wish they'd known before getting into it. Their answer will probably be more useful than anything you read online.

Make a tentative decision and test it. You can always change your mind later. But starting somewhere is better than staying stuck.