Popular Career Opportunities Based on Degree Programs

While any effort spent on an education is worthwhile, knowing what career possibilities exist for you after you earn a college degree just makes sense. After all, the costs of a higher education continue to rise, and as an adult you’ll be expected to earn a living in some fashion. These are a few examples of popular career choices based on the related degrees:

• Business and Finance: For those who are organized, enjoy solving problems, and love watching the bottom line, a finance or business degree is the way to go. One of the more popular (and lucrative) options in this area is to earn a management information systems degree. These specialists combine business theories with computer knowhow, creating real-world solutions to the inevitable logistical issues created by evolving technology. The median salary for those in this field is around $135,000 a year, and demand for these jobs is predicted to grow by 15 percent.
• STEM: Do you like to design and build? Find pleasure in solving mathematical equations? Get excited about designing and executing experiments? Then you will definitely enjoy a career in STEM, an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. In fact, you may want to consider simply going for a mathematics degree. This can lead to many different career paths, ranging from math teacher to operations research analysis manager. There is a demand for math experts in almost any industry you can imagine, which is why the projected growth for math- and science-related occupations is a healthy 28 percent.
• Public Service: This is an extremely broad category of degrees that fall into two primary areas. The first is government work, and this includes everything from being an elected official to being a firefighter or a school teacher. The second is charitable and nonprofit organizations, which are legal entities that exist for a reason other than to turn a profit. This means that you can be almost anything, and as long as you’re doing it for either the government or a nonprofit, you’re working in public service. For example, cybersecurity continues to be one of the most in-demand jobs in the U.S., and demand for these professionals will grow by about 40 percent in the next decade – far greater than the national average. Not only will top organizations need talented cybersecurity professionals, but so will governments and charitable organizations. 
• Liberal Arts and Humanities: For those who want to learn more about the multifaceted experience of being human (and then apply that knowledge in a professional setting), a liberal arts and humanities degree is the best option. As an example, with a communications degree you could become a market research analyst. These women and men assess a company’s ability and/or potential to thrive in various business ventures by gathering and analyzing data on economic, environmental, and demographic trends. Average salaries across the country are $65,000, and projections indicate that demand for this role will grow by 20 percent in the coming years. 
• High Growth: If you’re less concerned with the kind of degree you earn and more into the money you can make after graduation (a completely legitimate reason to go to college), your top choices are: healthcare, software and IT, and sales. These are the fastest-growing, most lucrative industries in the country, and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future.

No matter your educational interests, there’s sure to be an in-demand, well-paid career you’ll be qualified for once you graduate.