Choosing a college major is often the biggest early career decision a student makes—and a new February 2025 report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows just how much your college major shapes your job prospects in 2025.
This detailed report breaks down unemployment, underemployment, early and mid-career wages, and the percentage of grads who pursued advanced degrees—all sorted by major.
Standouts from the Report: Highest & Lowest Performers
💸 Top-Earning Majors (Early Career)
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Computer Science – $80,000
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Computer Engineering – $80,000
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Aerospace Engineering – $76,000
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Mechanical Engineering – $75,000
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Industrial Engineering – $76,000
Not surprisingly, STEM majors dominate early-career pay. What’s notable is that computer-related majors often combine high earnings and lower-than-average underemployment.
📉 Lowest-Earning Majors (Early Career)
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Theology & Religion – $42,000
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Anthropology – $42,000
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Early Childhood Education – $42,000
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Performing Arts – $41,900
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Foreign Language – $40,000
These majors are often tied to meaningful work, but come with lower salaries and higher reliance on grad school for upward mobility.
Underemployment: The Hidden Career Trap
Underemployment is when you’re working in a job that doesn’t require your degree. And for some majors, this is a bigger risk than unemployment.
🚩 Highest Underemployment Rates:
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Anthropology – 55.9%
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General Business – 52.8%
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Liberal Arts – 56.5%
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Medical Technicians – 57.9%
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Criminal Justice – 67.2%
That last one’s a shocker. Despite being a vocational major, criminal justice grads face the highest underemployment rate on the chart (meaning many are working in fields that don’t use their degree at all).
The “Graduate Degree Premium” Isn’t Always What It Seems
While some fields truly require advanced degrees (hello, pharmacy and biochemistry), others have large percentages of grads going to grad school simply because their bachelor’s alone isn’t competitive.
For example:
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Anthropology: 46.7% pursue grad school
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Fine Arts: 22.6%
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Sociology: 39.7%
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General Education: 52.0%
Key takeaway: Don’t assume you need a grad degree. But if you’re in a high-underemployment field, think strategically about whether grad school gives you a true competitive edge or just more debt.
What Can New Graduates Do Right Now?
✅ 1. Understand your starting point.
Where you begin isn’t where you have to stay. Use this data to benchmark your path, not define your worth.
✅ 2. Learn skills outside your degree.
Didn’t major in tech but want to pivot? Certifications, bootcamps, or even free platforms like Coursera or edX can build new skills without grad school.
✅ 3. Create a story that connects your major to your desired field.
Majors like English, Psychology, or Sociology might not scream “operations analyst”—but with the right résumé strategy, you can align your narrative to what employers need.
✅ 4. Get visible.
Graduating into a competitive market means you can’t just rely on online applications. Build a strong LinkedIn profile, publish short thought pieces, and connect with people already working where you want to be.
✅ 5. Don’t panic. Plan.
No one tells you this, but most careers zig-zag. You’ll evolve faster than you think if you stay proactive.
Your major matters. But it’s not your destiny. Whether you’re a liberal arts grad trying to break into corporate, or a biology major rethinking med school, the best thing you can do is take control of your next step.
Need help with that? I work with graduates and career changers every day to help them land stronger roles without watering down their story. Check out my resume packages or book a session to clarify your next move.
Bridget Batson, CMRW, CERM, CGRA, CPRW, NCOPE, CEIP is a Certified Master Resume Writer (CMRW), Certified Executive Resume Master (CERM), Certified Graphic Resume Architect (CGRA), Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW), Nationally Certified Online Profile Expert (NCOPE), Certified Employment Interview Professional (CEIP), Myers–Briggs STRONG® Administrator, and Owner of Houston Outplacement. Available for Individual Consultations at Houston Outplacement
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