Graphs Reveal Fascinating Trends in the Shifting Popularity of College Degrees

The team at Student Choice gathered some fascinating data and presented it in pie charts showing us what percentage of students declared from the 25 most popular majors. Below is a graph representing the rankings every year between 2016 and 2023.

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Their findings revealed a few key changes and facts about the state of college majors today. Here are some key points:

1. There are half the number of Education majors that there used to be. For a while, Education was the third most popular major, now the popularity has sharply dropped off. In 2020, teachers were vocal about the high expectations placed on them during Covid-19 pandemic and pointed out that so much of their work was uncompensated. With a wage gap and a growing number of demoralized teachers decrying misbehaving students and unreasonable parents, it comes as no surprise that teaching and education no longer have the appeal they used to.
2. The popularity of a Communications major continues to decline. While many students might like the idea of working with media, they’re facing a competitive job market, and shrinking wages and opportunities. For a decade this degree has seen lower and lower popularity.
3. A business major dominates as the most popular year after year. Business majors love the diverse opportunities this degree offers, and it can lead to high-paying, powerful careers.
4. Nursing has had a steady second-place popularity ranking. There is high demand for nurses and a shortage of RNs. Students choose this major knowing they’ll have no problem finding work when they graduate.