This post ranks college majors by the early career unemployment rates. The data includes respondents to the American Community Survey between 2009-2019, ages 23-30 who have a bachelor’s degree, and thus gives a glimpse into the early career outcomes by major.
See the methodology here.
Higher-ranked majors have lower unemployment rates, whereas lower-ranked majors have higher unemployment rates. For example, Soil Science, ranked 1st, has the lowest overall unemployment rate of just 0.37% of its degree holders experiencing unemployment in early career. On the other hand, Clinical Psychology, ranked last, has about 9% of degree recipients unemployed.
- Soil Science: 0.37%
- Miscellaneous Agriculture: 0.39%
- Engineering Mechanics Physics And Science: 0.87%
- Nuclear, Industrial Radiology, And Biological Technologies: 1.00%
- Mathematics Teacher Education: 1.62%
- Nursing: 1.77%
- Materials Engineering And Materials Science: 1.85%
- Agriculture Production And Management: 1.88%
- Art And Music Education: 1.89%
- Forestry: 1.92%
- Miscellaneous Education: 1.99%
- Medical Technologies Technicians: 2.04%
- Electrical, Mechanical, And Precision Technologies And Production: 2.09%
- Special Needs Education: 2.10%
- Operations Logistics And E-Commerce: 2.12%
- Miscellaneous Engineering: 2.14%
- Zoology: 2.17%
- Social Science Or History Teacher Education: 2.18%
- Nuclear Engineering: 2.20%
- Secondary Teacher Education: 2.22%
- General Agriculture: 2.29%
- Early Childhood Education: 2.39%
- Elementary Education: 2.40%
- Construction Services: 2.41%
- Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies: 2.43%
- Materials Science: 2.46%
- Agricultural Economics: 2.47%
- Miscellaneous Health Medical Professions: 2.50%
- Engineering And Industrial Management: 2.55%
- Naval Architecture And Marine Engineering: 2.58%
- Military Technologies: 2.60%
- Medical Assisting Services: 2.63%
- Botany: 2.66%
- Biological Engineering: 2.67%
- General Education: 2.69%
- Theology And Religious Vocations: 2.72%
- Miscellaneous Social Sciences: 2.83%
- Science And Computer Teacher Education: 2.84%
- Molecular Biology: 2.84%
- Transportation Sciences And Technologies: 2.86%
- Treatment Therapy Professions: 2.91%
- Mining And Mineral Engineering: 2.91%
- Teacher Education: Multiple Levels: 2.92%
- Management Information Systems And Statistics: 2.92%
- Statistics And Decision Science: 2.93%
- Hospitality Management: 2.94%
- Animal Sciences: 2.99%
- General Engineering: 3.02%
- Language And Drama Education: 3.04%
- Mechanical Engineering: 3.05%
- Actuarial Science: 3.09%
- Industrial And Manufacturing Engineering: 3.13%
- Health And Medical Administrative Services: 3.13%
- Environmental Engineering: 3.13%
- Social Psychology: 3.21%
- Atmospheric Sciences And Meteorology: 3.24%
- Electrical Engineering: 3.29%
- Chemical Engineering: 3.31%
- Physical And Health Education Teaching: 3.31%
- Aerospace Engineering: 3.32%
- Family And Consumer Sciences: 3.34%
- Electrical Engineering Technology: 3.34%
- Finance: 3.38%
- Civil Engineering: 3.42%
- Accounting: 3.43%
- Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies: 3.47%
- Geosciences: 3.48%
- Marketing And Marketing Research: 3.49%
- Counseling Psychology: 3.54%
- Human Services And Community Organization: 3.54%
- Chemistry: 3.55%
- Plant Science And Agronomy: 3.56%
- Human Resources And Personnel Management: 3.59%
- Neuroscience: 3.63%
- Physical Fitness Parks Recreation And Leisure: 3.63%
- Nutrition Sciences: 3.65%
- Computer Science: 3.68%
- Food Science: 3.68%
- Information Sciences: 3.69%
- Social Work: 3.70%
- Journalism: 3.73%
- Microbiology: 3.74%
- General Medical And Health Services: 3.76%
- Music: 3.78%
- Biochemical Sciences: 3.78%
- Advertising And Public Relations: 3.79%
- Oceanography: 3.79%
- Business Management And Administration: 3.81%
- French German Latin And Other Common Foreign Language Studies: 3.81%
- Engineering Technologies: 3.85%
- Miscellaneous Engineering Technologies: 3.88%
- General Business: 3.90%
- Business Economics: 3.93%
- Natural Resources Management: 3.94%
- Health And Medical Preparatory Programs: 3.95%
- Public Policy: 3.95%
- Computer Engineering: 3.97%
- International Business: 4.00%
- Criminal Justice And Fire Protection: 4.01%
- Mathematics: 4.03%
- Industrial Production Technologies: 4.06%
- Petroleum Engineering: 4.07%
- Communication Disorders Sciences And Services: 4.10%
- Communications: 4.11%
- Multi-Disciplinary Or General Science: 4.15%
- Miscellaneous Business And Medical Administration: 4.15%
- Intercultural And International Studies: 4.17%
- Other Foreign Languages: 4.19%
- Ecology: 4.24%
- General Social Sciences: 4.26%
- Miscellaneous Biology: 4.29%
- Interdisciplinary Social Sciences: 4.29%
- Community And Public Health: 4.30%
- Biology: 4.30%
- Art History And Criticism: 4.31%
- Physiology: 4.32%
- International Relations: 4.32%
- Area Ethnic And Civilization Studies: 4.34%
- Pharmacology: 4.38%
- Economics: 4.38%
- Studio Arts: 4.48%
- Psychology: 4.54%
- Public Administration: 4.56%
- Environmental Science: 4.57%
- Architecture: 4.60%
- Philosophy And Religious Studies: 4.63%
- Criminology: 4.64%
- Computer And Information Systems: 4.65%
- Sociology: 4.66%
- Industrial And Organizational Psychology: 4.68%
- Mathematics And Computer Science: 4.81%
- Physics: 4.85%
- Liberal Arts: 4.91%
- History: 4.91%
- English Language And Literature: 4.98%
- Political Science And Government: 4.98%
- Metallurgical Engineering: 5.10%
- Commercial Art And Graphic Design: 5.12%
- Linguistics And Comparative Language And Literature: 5.15%
- Pharmacy Pharmaceutical Sciences And Administration: 5.20%
- Cosmetology Services And Culinary Arts: 5.21%
- Drama And Theater Arts: 5.22%
- Court Reporting: 5.27%
- Fine Arts: 5.35%
- Computer Programming And Data Processing: 5.36%
- Geography: 5.42%
- Geology And Earth Science: 5.47%
- Computer Administration Management And Security: 5.48%
- Architectural Engineering: 5.48%
- Computer Networking And Telecommunications: 5.49%
- Applied Mathematics: 5.50%
- Visual And Performing Arts: 5.56%
- Miscellaneous Psychology: 5.57%
- Cognitive Science And Biopsychology: 5.89%
- Mass Media: 5.93%
- Biomedical Engineering: 5.93%
- Humanities: 6.08%
- Library Science: 6.24%
- Anthropology And Archeology: 6.26%
- Educational Psychology: 6.30%
- Film Video And Photographic Arts: 6.31%
- Miscellaneous Fine Arts: 6.37%
- Pre-Law And Legal Studies: 6.63%
- Communication Technologies: 6.73%
- United States History: 6.76%
- Astronomy And Astrophysics: 6.95%
- Composition And Rhetoric: 7.01%
- Genetics: 7.12%
- Geological And Geophysical Engineering: 7.54%
- Physical Sciences: 8.35%
- Clinical Psychology: 8.94%
