College and University Blog
Best College Degrees 2012
Chinese philosopher Confucius said “If you love what you do, you never have to work a day in your life.” College students often take his ancient advice to heart and major in a subject they enjoy, even though it may not lead to a high-paying job.
Standing up for what you believe in—and studying something you love—is an admirable quality, but certain degrees tend to hold more value than others.
Although it’s definitely possible to work in a field unrelated to your college studies, the majority of large employers aren’t actively seeking people with degrees in disciplines like fashion design, music or literature. Research claims that employers will be hiring more college graduates this year than in years past and the Job Outlook survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employers has found the best college degrees for 2012.
Top College Degrees
ABC’s Cleveland affiliate News Channel 5 reports that members of NACE, typically large companies with well-established college recruiting programs, responded to the survey. Job candidates with the following degrees are the most sought-after by NACE members:
1. Business Administration
2. Engineering
3. Computer and Information Sciences
4. Accounting
5. Economics
NACE is a non-profit organization headquartered in Bethlehem, PA. Forbes reports that of the 949 companies questioned by NACE, 160 responded. Big-name respondents included American Airlines, Chevron, ConAgra Foods, Ernst & Young, Genworth Financial and Seagate Technology.
Even though hiring is expected to increase throughout the year, NACE cautions that the average number of applications per job listing is 32.6—perhaps a little bit of luck will be on your side if your new bachelor’s degree is one of the above-mentioned best college degrees for 2012!
Melissa Rhone+
Melissa Rhone earned her Bachelor of Music in Education from the University of Tampa. She resides in the Tampa Bay area and enjoys writing about college, pop culture, and epilepsy awareness.