The Most Popular College Majors

Choosing your college major is one of the most important decisions you’ll make during your college experience. After all, your major lays the foundation for your future career path. With thousands of majors to choose from, it can feel overwhelming to select the perfect one.

In this guide, we’ll cover some of the most popular majors that students are currently pursuing. We’ll also discuss what the coursework looks like for each of them. By the end, you’ll have a better understanding of which college majors may be the best fit for you.

Business consistently ranks as one of the most popular majors, likely due to its versatility and strong career prospects. With a vast array of potential tracks, business majors can tailor their studies to their interests and goals. Some of the specialized tracks available include:

The typical business curriculum is designed to provide a well-rounded mastery of core business principles and practices. You can expect coursework covering financial accounting, economics, business law and ethics, statistics, organizational behavior, marketing, strategy, and operations management. Business majors also get enhanced academic experiences through hands-on case studies, consulting projects with real companies, capstone courses that apply cumulative learning, and invaluable internship opportunities.

Next, we have health professions, a diverse and rapidly growing field appealing to students with a passion for helping others and a desire to work in a dynamic and essential industry. Some of the most popular tracks within the health professions major include:

Majoring in health professions comes with a curriculum that combines theoretical and practical knowledge. Health professions majors take courses in anatomy, physiology, microbiology, chemistry, pharmacology, health ethics, patient care, and healthcare management. In addition to their coursework, top programs often include hands-on learning opportunities through clinical rotations, internships, and lab work, providing essential real-world experience.

Biological and biomedical sciences are also among the most popular majors, attracting students with a keen interest in understanding the complexities of living organisms and improving human health. This major offers various tracks, including:

As a biological or biomedical science major, you’ll take courses in biology, chemistry, physics, genetics, cell biology, and biostatistics, among others. These students spend a significant portion of their education conducting lab experiments, engaging in research projects, and completing internships, providing essential hands-on experience and preparing them for diverse careers in research, healthcare, and biotechnology.

Coming in as one of the most creative and artistic majors, we have visual and performing arts. This captivating field draws in students with a passion for creativity, expression, and artistic innovation. Some of the popular specialized tracks within the visual and performing arts major are:

Majoring in visual and performing arts involves a curriculum that nurtures both technical skills and creative expression. Students take courses in art theory, history of art, design principles, acting, music theory, choreography, and digital media. Their education is enriched through studio work, performances, exhibitions, and internships.

Engineering is another extremely popular major. Its versatile and ever-evolving field attracts students with a passion for problem-solving and innovation. With such a versatile major comes a variety of tracks, including:

Engineering majors take courses in mathematics, physics, computer science, materials science, thermodynamics, circuit analysis, and engineering ethics, to name a few. These students spend a significant portion of their education doing lab work, designing projects, and completing internships, ensuring they gain vital real-world experience.

Psychology is a fascinating and highly popular field, attracting students interested in understanding human behavior, thought processes, and emotions. Some popular tracks within the psychology major include:

As a psychology major, you can expect to take courses in general psychology, research methods, statistics, developmental psychology, abnormal psychology, cognitive psychology, and social psychology. Additionally, many top programs offer hands-on learning opportunities through research projects, internships, and fieldwork, providing students with essential real-world experience and preparing them for diverse careers in mental health, research, education, and beyond.

Let’s now talk about communications and journalism. This dynamic field is perfect if you have a passion for storytelling, media, and public relations. Within the communications and journalism major come the following tracks:

Communications and journalism majors study media writing, communication theory, public speaking, multimedia journalism, ethics, and digital media production. To enrich their academic experience, students often participate in internships, contribute to student-run media outlets, work on public relations campaigns, and develop multimedia projects.

Last but not least, we have computer and information sciences. This cutting-edge field draws students with a passion for technology and problem-solving. This major offers a range of tracks to choose from, including:

Majoring in computer and information sciences involves a curriculum that integrates theoretical knowledge with practical skills. These students take courses in programming, algorithms, data structures, computer systems, software development, cybersecurity, and database management. Outside of the classroom, students gain experience through coding projects, hackathons, and research opportunities, preparing them for successful careers in technology, software development, cybersecurity, and beyond.