Make room in your basement for your anthropology, arts and philosophy graduates
John Konop sent me a link to a Kiplinger video highlighting the 10 worst college majors for career prospects.
(There is also a slide show that provides a lot of detail on median salaries and job prospects for these 10 majors.)
Of course, my son’s major, philosophy, was on high on the list, which included the usual suspects, fine arts, English, sociology, and anthropology.
The video contends that since college is now a major investment — with the average grad ending up $25,000 in debt – students ought to know which majors yield the poorest return on their tuition investment.
Graduates of visual arts, theater and design programs face double digit unemployment rates. The average fine arts graduate is also twice as likely to end up working in retail as the typical college graduate.
Liberal arts majors also face a tough road. Grads who majored in English face a 9.2 percent unemployment rate and make $32,000 out of school. Newly minted philosophers face unemployment rates of almost 11 percent and earn $30,000 0n average.
However, recent anthropology graduates confront the most challenging straits — unemployment rates of 10.5 percent and salaries of $28,000, less than median pay for someone with only a high school diploma.
On other hand, I have a young neighbor who recently graduated UGA with an archaeology degree, a field that I considered as a college student but was dissuaded by the terrible job prospects even then. But he found a job in the field, so it can be done. (Of course, he has now shifted direction, but has continued with his vow of poverty. He is working in theater and living in his parents’ basement.)
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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61 comments Add your comment
William Casey
October 3rd, 2012
11:58 pm
@Bootney: I just noticed a pronounced improvement in my son’s thinking and his ability to present ideas. Problem solving improved as well. I’d agree with you about a “stand alone” major. Combined with Math, it’s been dynamite.
William Casey
October 4th, 2012
12:04 am
@Eastcobbslob: fly in a plane designed by marketing types.
Another comment
October 4th, 2012
10:01 am
Maybe part of the problem is the absolute lack of guidance counceling in high school. My daughter is a Senior in High School with a 3.92 GPA has taken 4 AP Classes, currently taken 2 dual Enrollment class at GPC because of me pushing it. A counselor at school was going to let her sign up for minimum day. I said absolutely not.
The School Arbitrartly cut the couselor position for the S-Z portion of the ABC’s from a full time position to 1/2 time. There is no difference in load. The counselor only works AM. my daughter is only at school PM. I actually like this counselor better than the old counselor, who was gone on emergency Maternity leave most of Last year the last Semester. But we have had no meetings Senior year on College Applications. Good Thing Mama has a Masters degree.
I went to a high School with a Class of 365 kids that I graduated with there were equal amounts in all classes. We only had one counselor. She had been at the School since it opened in 1960, My cousins had her when they graduated in 1967, I graduated in 1978. The Principal took care of discipline. Scheduling was done manually, then. She met with you many times. I went to the step below Ivy league colleges on Financial aid. My mother was a high school drop out. This counsler helped all the way. No one has helped in my daughters school. My daughter tells me most of the kids just think they have to go to second tier Georgia system schools because no one helps them. Only 2 kids from her school are even in dual enrollment.
My next child will start dual enrollment as a junior, and hopefully full time. It is a lost opportunity, that the high schools are denying are students and us as parents financially.
Dekalbite
October 4th, 2012
2:13 pm
I got a double major in history and political science and a minor in English. I never did find a job in any of those fields, but I don’t regret my majors or my minor. I worked in business selling technology equipment and also in education (went to grad school for an Masters in Education with a concentration in elementary).
If you major in those non demand fields, you need to understand your job prospects for a good paying job in your field right off the bat are dismal. It will probably take a number of years before you find a job using the skills you actually learned in your major. This is a problem if you have considerable student debt, less of a problem if your student debt is low. It’s also a problem if you have any health issues (low paying jobs do not usually provide insurance, and you will not be able to get it on the open marketplace).
In the many jobs (and varied careers) I had, the written word and ability to communicate with others was of vital importance. That’s the beauty and strength of a Liberal Arts degree.
I do not believe everyone can or should follow their passion. There are many factors to be considered. We owe it to our children and students to begin this discussion early in their school career.
Pride and Joy
October 4th, 2012
5:19 pm
Everyone knows Bryant Gumbel right? That successful, rich TV guy?
I went to hear him speak. He has a HISTORY degree.
He said something that stuck with me. He said “Don’t let your degree determine your future.” He went on to share that he had a history degree but it didn’t mean he had to go into a job that involved history.
I know computer programmers with philosophy and physics degrees.
There are business analysts with English majors.
Getting a college degree IS VERY important.
but…
your college major doesn’t rule out high paid employment.
I think the title of this blog is unnecessary and rude and also, just not accurate.
English Teacher
October 4th, 2012
7:18 pm
Another comment: Let me see if I understand…kids who are about to graduate high school and will go to second tier colleges are doing so because the counselor isn’t helping them? It has nothing to do with their personal initiative, GPAs, class loads, extracurricular activities, SAT/ACT scores? Are you really blaming the counselor for this? I have no idea what the situation is like at your school, but this seems completely ridiculous and far fetched at best.
Also, the counselor didn’t “let” your daughter do anything. Likely she gave her the options and advised her on the pros and cons of each. Leaving school early probably sounded good, and so she went with that. As her parent, you stopped that and advised her differently. And that’s how it’s supposed to go. Counselors only have so much influence, and rightly so.
Lastly, I graduated HS in the early 90’s and not one time did I meet with my counselor. I figured it out for myself and didn’t suffer for it.
AnonMom
October 4th, 2012
9:48 pm
I was a history/poly sci major and went to law school (this is a pretty typical pre-law major — you learn to really think, read and write…. nothing wrong with that!) — I also wound up going to business school and getting an MBA. My brother was a theater major but really he’s a writer who has characters floating in his brain — he should have majored in English and should still get a PhD so he can teach — he just published his first book — not self-published but with a real publisher — and it’s being well reviewed for young adults — it’s only taken about 25 years…. he’s had a hard time making a living to support his family with even though his raw IQ and talent is equal to or greater than mine….
AlreadySheared
October 5th, 2012
1:53 am
Vizzini: I can’t compete with you physically, and you’re no match for my brains.
Man in Black: You’re that smart?
Vizzini: Let me put it this way. Have you ever heard of Plato, Aristotle, Socrates?
Man in Black: Yes.
Vizzini: Morons.
“The Princess Bride”
Ole Guy
October 6th, 2012
2:28 pm
The market IS there for these graduates. The opportunities may not be in the desired “form, color and flavor” as one might desire, but the market is there. The primary issue: are today’s graduates willing to adapt to the conditions? Relocation, low low starting salaries, and, quite possibly, job responsibilities which may be viewed as “below one’s qualifications”, are all part of the mix of adaptability, and that is EXACTLY what is required…unless you’d rather bunk in mom and pop’s basement.
Private Citizen
October 7th, 2012
3:36 pm
The esteemed French intellectual who is visiting Stanford as faculty, when asked the condition of the U. S., he said “Not good. No one is learning Latin or Greek” then he paused, “the language of the Bible.”
Private Citizen
October 7th, 2012
3:38 pm
There plenty of work for people with arts degrees, digging ditches and painting houses.