by P.J. DiNuzzo July 24, 2014
Where the Best Jobs Are
What are the best college majors for students who want a lucrative career and low unemployment in their field? 
Recently, the Kiplinger magazine ranked the top ten (you can find the slideshow here: http://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/business/T012-S001-10-best-college-majors-for-a-lucrative-career/index.html ), starting with “Pharmacy and “Pharmaceutical Sciences,” where starting salaries average $42,100 and mid-career salaries average $120,000. Unemployment rates for these graduates are 2.5%, and job growth is projected at 36.4% a year. This degree leads to a career as a pharmacist or researcher in the pharmaceutical industry (designing and developing drugs).
Second on the list is “Computer Science,” with a starting salary averaging $58,400, mid-career: $100,000. Job growth is projected at 18.7% a year, and the unemployment rate for these graduates is 4.7%. Students are advised to master computer languages C++ and Java, and be prepared to work in artificial intelligence, computer system organization and digital system design.
Third? “Civil Engineering” ($53,800; $88,800, 19.4% job growth and 4% unemployment rate). These are the people who design and supervise large construction projects–like airports, sewer systems and tunnels.
Numbers four through ten are “Information Systems Management” (which marries computer courses with project management skills); “Nursing;” “Information Systems” (implementing technology within a company or organization, often best supplemented with a minor in business); “Finance” (requiring economics, statistics and calculus, plus accounting and financial markets courses); “Mathematics” (mastering number theory and real analysis for work with government and scientific research teams); “Information Science” (database management and programming, plus study of human-computer interaction); and “Construction: (requires a solid foundation of math and science courses, including the physics of building a structure and the accounting to build the budget for it).
The magazine also ranked the worst careers: the list included “Human Services and Community Organization” ($32,900; $41,100; 8.1% unemployment rate); “Fine Arts” ($31,800; $53,700; 7.3%); “Social Work” ($33,100; $45,300; 6.5% unemployment rate); “Early Childhood Education ($29,200; $37,600; 5.5% unemployment rate); “Art History” ($36,400; $54,000; 8.3%); “Interdisciplinary Studies” (majors you design yourself; $37,500; $51,000; 8.5%); “Studio Arts” ($35,700; $53,200; 7.3%); “Mass Media” ($34,400; $59,800; 7.9%); “Humanities” ($35,600; $60,100; 9.8%); and “Family Consumer Sciences” (aka Home Economics; $34,700; $47,800; 5.6%).
Sincerely,
P.J. DiNuzzo, CPA, PFS®, AIF®, MSTx, MBA
President, Founder, and Chief Investment Officer