Earning a college degree is expensive. Millions of Americans continue to struggle to pay tens of thousands of dollars in student loan debt.
To make matters worse, many workers later end up regretting the major they chose during college.
Recently, the U.S. Federal Reserve Board surveyed 11,000 American adults for its latest annual Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households report.
Among other questions, the Fed asked survey respondents whether they would choose a different field of study if they were in college today.
Overall, more than one-third of respondents — 35% — regretted the choice they made as students. Those with the following majors were most likely to say they wished they could wipe the slate clean and choose something else to study.
1. Social/behavioral sciences
Respondents who enrolled in a post-secondary educational program in this field but would now choose a different field of study: 44%
Social and behavioral sciences examine human behavior and explore how human actions are related. Sociology, psychology and anthropology all fall under this field of study.
2. Humanities/arts (tie)
Respondents who enrolled in a post-secondary educational program in this field but would now choose a different field of study: 43%
Humanities and arts majors include a wide range of disciplines, ranging from arts and music to religion, philosophy and history. Many graduates with these degrees go on to work as teachers or therapists.
3. Life sciences (tie)
Respondents who enrolled in a post-secondary educational program in this field but would now choose a different field of study: 43%
Life sciences include the study of all living organisms and their life processes. Majors that fall within this field of study include biology, nutrition science and zoology
Other commonly regretted majors
Studying the following majors also has triggered regret among college graduates:
- Law: 41%
- Education: 38%
- Undeclared/others: 37%
