The Most Regretted College Degrees Will Make You Rethink Your Whole Future
I studied history in college, and I have no regrets.
But apparently, many of my fellow history nerds don't feel the same way.
According to Emolument's survey of 1,800 UK graduates, 47 percent of people who studied history, politics or geography regret it.
The most-regretted major, however, is psychology, with only 33 percent of graduates saying obtaining a degree in the field was "worth it."
When you look at the degrees people regret the least, it makes a lot of sense when you see the starting annual salaries for people who majored in subjects pertaining to chemistry or engineering.
In the US, the starting annual salary in 2016 for someone with a degree in chemical engineering is $63,313, followed by electrical engineering at $61,173, Forbes reports.
The three lowest-paying majors, according to Forbes, are psychology at $36,327, public relations at $36,235 and advertising at $35,733.
None of this means you should drop your major if you're currently studying psychology or history.
Yes, there's a strong chance you will not immediately make as much money as your peers who studied chemistry, but you shouldn't let money dictate your entire life.
You've probably heard people say, "Money doesn't buy happiness." It isn't just a cheesy saying, there's actually research to back it up.
A 2010 study from Princeton University shows emotional well-being tends to rise with salary, but the rise plateaus after you start making around $75,000. So, while money can obviously help relieve stress and make life a little less worrisome, it only goes so far. Earning more and more doesn't make you happier after a certain point.
Job satisfaction definitely counts for a lot when it comes to your overall mental state.
Simply put: Following your passions is a lot more important than majoring in something that will give you a big pay check.
Research also shows happier employees lead to larger profits for companies, which means larger salaries for everyone.
If you're miserable in your job, you're not helping anyone.
Don't stress. You do you.
Citations: The Most (and Least) Worthwhile Degrees (Statista)
