Choosing a college major involves more than just picking classes that seem interesting. When making education decisions, it is important to consider the career potential for each possible choice. Finding a major in a field that employers are searching for might make it easier to get hired after graduation.
Look for majors that teach marketable skill sets with long-lasting appeal. Thinking about the long-term value of an education can help make it easier to choose a major that is both appealing and in-demand.
According to The Job Outlook for the College Class of 2013, a survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), employers anticipate a 13% growth in the amount of new graduates hired from the class of 2013 compared to the class of 2012. The survey also examined which degree programs employers are particularly excited about this year.
Here are four college majors that are in high demand for 2013:
Business Administration
Business administration is a subject area that can work for many different industries. Having strong business skills can be beneficial in an abundance of professions because they are skills that most companies are inherently looking for.
Learning about management, leadership and economics are just some of the potential study areas with a business administration degree. Students can choose a specific, niche topic to specialize in or keep it broad and learn about a variety of areas. Classes will teach students how to run all aspects of a business, from marketing to operations.
Though business administration degrees can appeal to an array of different employers, certain industries are particularly interested in hiring graduates in this major. According to the NACE survey, finance, government, insurance, real estate and wholesale trade are industries most interested in hiring business administration majors.
Communications
The ubiquitous nature of social media and the globalization of information-sharing have led to an increased interest in graduates in the communications field. Areas like public relations and advertising were some of the top in-demand communications degrees according to the survey by NACE.
Students who study communications learn how to create brand-specific messaging for any industry. They learn to communicate professionally across all platforms, from written communication in press releases, articles and social media, to verbal communication in presentations, interviews and press conferences. These skills can be put to use in any sized company and across all industries.
Having a communications degree gives graduates the opportunity to work in fields like marketing, media relations, writing and broadcast. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a communications degree can lead to positions such as broadcast engineering or technical writing.
Accounting
Accounting is an industry with a strong long-term career outlook. According to the BLS, the employment of accountants is projected to grow by 16% from 2010 to 2020. The Occupational Outlook Handbook by the BLS states, “The continued globalization of business should lead to more demand for accounting expertise and services related to international trade and international mergers and acquisitions.”
Accounting students learn how to handle all aspects of a company’s finances. The skills can be applied to almost every business, because all companies need to stay within a budget and track spending in order to make a profit. Accounting majors learn about subjects like tax law, risk assessment and auditing.
According to the NACE survey, the industries that are most interested in accounting majors include accounting services, government and food and beverage manufacturing. Careers like bookkeeping, budget analysis and financial managers are possible with a degree in this field.
Healthcare Administration
Healthcare is an industry that continues to grow. The BLS states, “As the large baby-boom population ages and people remain active later in life, the healthcare industry as a whole will see an increase in the demand for medical services.” Since this demand will naturally increase the number of patients, more facilities and management will be needed as well.
Students who study healthcare administration get the chance to learn about all aspects of running healthcare facilities, the business-oriented topics and the healthcare-specific areas. Subjects include ethics, healthcare law, human resources and health information systems.
Careers in healthcare administration include medical and health service managers. According to the BLS, heath and service managers are projected to see a 22% increase in employment from 2010 to 2020, making this a smart career choice for someone looking for long-term stability.
