College experiences can lead to various types of regrets for individuals of diverse backgrounds and circumstances.
For this discussion, we’ll be setting aside issues like alcoholism and skipping classes to focus on the pivotal choice that can shape your future: selecting your major.
Your choice of major significantly affects your earning potential and consequently impacts how long you’ll grapple with student loan debt. A recent extensive study by PayScale examined the majors that college graduates often regret pursuing. This research encompassed individuals of all ages, educational levels, and fields of study. The major source of college-related regrets tends to revolve around student loan debt and its detrimental repercussions on individuals’ lives.
One key revelation from the study was that individuals from older generations, those with advanced degrees, and individuals in high-earning majors tended to express fewer regrets related to their college experiences. Nevertheless, a large percentage of college graduates admit to having some level of regret. While 33.9% of respondents stated having no regrets, 27.1% specifically pointed to student loans as their primary source of regret, and 12.2% cited their area of study as the main regret.
When it comes to the most regretted majors, humanities programs top the list. Here are the percentages of graduates who regret their chosen area of study:
Humanities – 21.2%
Physical & Life Sciences – 17.9%
Social Sciences – 17.6%
Education – 17.3%
Communications – 16.6%
Art – 14.9%
Business – 10.4%
Health Sciences – 9.5%
Math – 9%
Engineering – 7.8%
Computer Science – 4.3%
