For additional context, here is the full statement (which I may end up revising, or putting an ETA statement in).
Many students think that whatever they major in is what they are going to do for a career. Many do not realize that the majority of entry-level, professional careers are not asking for a degree in X, but rather that they’re asking for a college degree. So whether a student majors in economics or whether they major in English, philosophy, linguistics, history, enigmatology, or whatever else, the field that their degree is in does not matter as much. And more often than not, it’s because the adults in their lives have not conveyed that to them. Kids don’t know what they don’t know.
That said, I acknowledge the following:
- Students who do business/CS/engineering usually have the highest salaries starting out from college.
- Going from a degree in CS/business/engineering can often appear clearer cut to a particular profession without some as much internal struggling over the “What am I going to do with my life?” question.
- Students who don’t do a “pragmatic” major need to be on-the-ball with respect to getting experiences that can translate to a job (research & analytical skills, summer internships, etc).
- The financial investment of a college degree, particularly for families with lower incomes, can mean that there’s more risk aversion to entering a field where they could be a longer on-ramp to higher salaries or where student drive (being a go-getter) can impact the employment prospects.
Paging @blossom who is usually more eloquent than I am with respect to this matter, and has years of experience with respect to talent search.
And yes, most students do not go past an undergraduate degree, and that doesn’t change my thoughts with respect to the above statements.