College Degrees to Avoid

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I read an interesting article this morning that describes the 10 worst degrees from a cost perspective.

As the costs of higher education increase for students in the U.S., it might be worthwhile to pick your degree carefully.

At a time when Americans are saddled with mounting student loan debt, the bad news for some is that the earnings potential associated with certain careers may not do much to offset the cost of their education.

Here’s a look at some of the careers that didn’t seem to be worth the price of their degree:

1. Human Services Worker
2. Daycare Center/Teacher
3. Painter/Illustrator
4. Graphic Designer
5. Associate Pastor
6. Chemical Dependency Counselor
7. Elementary School Teacher
8. News Reporter
9. Corrections Officer
10. Religious Educator

Source: These jobs aren't worth the cost of their degrees

All of which are "Liberal-Arts" or non-STEM degrees.

Science
Technology
Engineering
Mathematics

However, it saddens me to see that Education has been so devalued as to be included in a list with Social Workers, Religious Workers, Prison Guards, and News Reporters.

Not everyone is good enough at STEM to major in it

Not everyone likes STEM

You do not have to be too great at liberal arts to major in it

You have to be pretty good at STEM to major in it

At UCSD, many STEM majors were I'm

The school claimed that STEM classes required 3 hours studying, per hour of class. Not including class

And non STEM only two hours studying per hour of class


STEM majors require more total units

STEM classes have to be taken in. Certain order. Some classes were only offered once a year. The other classes required that class as a prerequisite


Non STEM , does not have much of this problem

The point is that just getting a degree because they will give you loans to get it isn't a wise choice.

Sure, go ahead and get a liberal arts degree if they give you a full ride.

Don't go into debt to get a degree for the sake of getting a degree.

College is a money making business.

If only STEM students went, they would not have much $$.

There could be good reasons to major in psychology

But cash is not one of them

Personal fulfillment

All valid points.

But what's the point of earning the kind of degree that will only make you the smartest burger-flipper in the restaurant? You may as well have taken no college courses at all. Why not instead earn the kind of degree that enables you to purchase controlling stock in the entire restaurant chain? If you're going to make money for the university, then why not earn it all back many times over after graduation?

Sure, STEM courses are tough, but poverty is tougher, but abject homelessness is even worse.

If you get a free ride or full scholarship, there is likely to be a reason for that which will allow you to make use a liberal arts degree even though most people can't.

A lot of people got STEM degree

A lot of people are in poverty or homeless

Some people fit both categories

Venn diagram

Sure. But a STEM degree makes poverty and homelessness far less likely than a LA degree or no degree at all.

Aim high.

I got a mostly free ride (no tuition...just fees and textbooks) for my liberal arts degrees, but I still haven't been able to find a decent job where I use them.

My father got a history degree on an ROTC scholarship and then went on to manage a retail store with 50 people.
Is there a "degree" do that these days?

If you had the knowledge you have now fnord, as a younger man what degree would you like to have done?

Me? I'm not sure. I know scientists who say that work isn't stable. 6 month contracts. Not knowing where your next funding will come from.

Still, I think I could have done something to do with forestry. I would have liked that. I'm very interested in the work of The Woodland Trust in the UK.

But then I'm gifted with language, so I should have done some sort of language degree and become a translator. I lived in the UK in the 90s. I could've got a good cheap education. I could've lived with my parents and incurred no debt.

If only we had known then what we know now.

I did electrical engineering with a strong emphasis in computer science. I should have done science degree but I realized the problem getting steady work way back then. I would have skipped the advanced law and physics that I didn't need and taken stuff like anthropology if I could line it up with a great professor in my last semester of college. I only needed one course in my last semester.

Last edited by BTDT on 22 Mar 2019, 6:37 pm, edited 3 times in total.

When I went to the ROTC Orientation, the gpa quota was 2.5 (out of four) and mine was lower. The captain had the nerve to tell me that "students that take six years to graduate are undisciplined. We don't take undisciplined students).

San Diego State University 2003


When your dad was in rorc, the gpa quota could have been different


But, when I tried to join ROTC, it did not matter what subject the degree was in. (Exception. Some scholarships required STEM). But they all required 2.5. majoring in STEM makes it harder to get 2.5

Judging by your age, that was "back in the day" when employers would hire someone just for having a degree...in anything. Also, you said he "went on to"...so how long did it take him after graduating? Did he have to start at the bottom? Part of my problem is that I work two jobs with literally no advancement potential.

My guess is that it took him around 13 years to get to manage a new store with 50 people after leaving the service. He managed a smaller store before that but I was too young to remember when.