Saturday, January 15, 2011

Top Ten Majors Most Likely To Get You Hired

By Lauren Joffe for The Real College Guide

For students entering a somewhat bleak hiring market, your college major could be the biggest factor in determining your likelihood of securing a job. Based on a survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), here are the majors that offer students the best chances of getting hired upon graduation:

10. Communications/Journalism
And so we reach the final major most likely to get you hired out of college -- communications and journalism majors today have just above a 35 percent chance of getting hired upon graduation -- which may not be the highest of the bunch, but certainly lands them on this list.

9. Liberal Arts/Humanities
Liberal arts and humanities have always garnered heat from parents, grandparents and employers regarding hiring attractiveness come May. But not to worry -- you just make the cut, receiving a somewhat unexpected 37-percent chance of landing that job.

8. Health Sciences
Health sciences majors, ranging from physical therapy to audiology, might not fare as well at the accounting majors out there, but still rake in impressive hiring stats at 38.7 percent. And with graduate coursework almost always required in health sciences fields, we don’t doubt you’ll secure employment.

7. Mathematics
Well, maybe not as easy as 1, 2, 3 … but mathematics majors should be counting their lucky stars. Yes -- math majors show a close percentage rate with their VPA counterparts, reaching just below the 40 percent mark with a 37.5-percent chance of getting hired.

6. Visual and Performing Arts
Who knew that, in a struggling economy, VPA majors would fare well in the applicant pool, showing an almost 40-percent chance of getting hired out of school? Looks like you get the last laugh.

5. Social Sciences
Social sciences rounds out the top five majors most likely to get you hired, reaching just below engineering majors at 40.5 percent. Economics, psychology and political science majors have something to brag about.

4. Engineering
Engineering has always been one of the safer majors in terms of getting a post-college job. NACE found that 41 percent of engineering majors were offered jobs upon graduation.

3. Computer/Information Science
For all you computer majors out there, no need to feel left out. Your major shows promising hiring returns, running an impressive 44-percent chance of securing a job -- only 1 percentage point behind those business majors. So you can rest easy -- er, relatively.

2. Business
Aside from accounting, business majors rank almost the highest in terms of securing a job before graduation. For business-school grads, your chances of getting a job weigh in at 45 percent.

1. Accounting
Accounting majors earn the top spot -- nearly 47 percent receive job offers upon graduation. Accounting majors, feel free to rejoice! All those late nights figuring out balances and credits is finally paying off … literally.