Are you undecided about what career you want to pursue? Or are you already set to go on which major you will accomplish? Many students decide their majors based on what they know, family expectations or simply they are following a dream.

But with the job market and the health of our economy this year rapidly changing, students may consider switching degrees. During economic downturns, career jobs are challenging to find. Internships are either closed or difficult to continue and students may question if their college major is worth the effort to finish.

Students need to contemplate and be too aware of how the job market follows supply and demand rules. A college student needs to educate themselves about their major and if this career path will benefit them. Thinking about your future logically, seeing the reality and re-considering majors are not downgrading, it’s intelligent.

Some industries are seeing a record of broadening and increase demand, while other sectors are stagnant. A great example of industry rising in years to come is renewable energy and businesses going green.

We are also witnessing our dependency on technology and internet-enabled devices. This means there is a high demand for people skilled in app development and cybersecurity. 

Students who want to pursue a business involving technology may consider a computer science degree. There are many articles and sources online informing students of all ages to check out which majors to pursue. 

There is data explaining which career paths are massive in demand for people to think about career paths. According to EDsmart.org, “There is an incredible demand for people that understand statistics, mathematics and advanced mathematical modeling. Degrees in statistics and mathematics are essential for these fields.”

As we entered 2020, one significant fact is the increasing demand for healthcare-related careers. Demand for caregiving jobs is heavily wanted because the baby boomer population is declining in age, so these medical jobs need more people. Areas that also should grow in the healthcare industry are the assistant or aide level positions. Nursing career paths and medical majors are in demand since COVID-19. Medical students who graduated last year were put to work immediately since the virus infected many Americans and people worldwide.

One thing to understand is STEM majors have the advantage of being part of the high demanding career jobs. Our society needs scientists, engineers, medics and dependency on those specialists in those fields that will never exist. Even though these career examples are high in demand, students will have to be aware that the more highly demanding the job is, the more difficult it can become to hire.

The top most valuable majors in 2020 include:

Master of Science Physicians Assistance – one of the best degrees to get for any advanced health care practice. Please do not confuse it with a medical assistant. This title focuses on medicine practices with their patients, review medical histories, perform exams, treat patients, and more. PA also specializes in emergency, surgery, or psychiatric care.

Registered Nurse – According to edsmart.org, “Many registered nurses retiring and leaving the workforce, there is a massive deficit of nurses with advanced skills. Also, with the number of elderly people increasing, there is an increasing demand for people to look after them.”

Statistics/Math Major – a mathematician degree is great for business, science, and research. There is a lot of work and money available for people to collect data, understand it, interpret it, and explain the insights. This is related to an operations researcher career path. You will always need someone to analyze and understand data. This is a career path that will not leave any time soon.

Computer Science Major – technology will never cease to exist. Our whole society depends on technology advances, and every year, our tech specialist create something new or improve an existing creation. Demand for software developers, network experts, computer design, you name it, will explode even more in the future, making this a valuable major to consider.

Science Degree in Genetic Counseling – over the years, genetic technology and analysis have advanced. People have gained an interest in what kind of inherited diseases might affect their families. Majoring in Genetics is new. There are relatively few counselors that can help people with their questions. Genetic counselors work in hospitals, university medical centers, laboratories, and physician’s offices.

Petroleum Engineering – Oil and gas are the upper hands of national and international economic issues. A bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering pays off big time. They specialize in helping fulfill a country’s energy needs by finding oil and gas resources, create methods on how to extract oil and gas from the earth’s surface, and figuring out how to sustain and preserve oil and gas for environmental purposes. They also need to know how to keep older oil and gas profitable.

Business Analysis Major – focuses on identifying a problem and solving it. The key is, how? What are the solutions? A person pursuing this career path will work internally as an employee of a company, industry, or consultancy position. If you are analytical, intelligent and have a great sense of solving an issue quickly, this is the best degree. The pay is also relatively high.

Pharmacy Degree – This is a lucrative career path. The main role is to dispense medications to patients, follow the doctors’ instructions carefully on the type of drug and amount given, advise patients on taking their medications, and be aware not to make a mistake. A science major can take this profession if interested in this field, and it also pays very well.

Chemistry Major – opens many doors for this type of career path. Chemistry courses generally include organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, and physical chemistry. With a chem major, you can be involved in scientific research, specializing in forensic science for investigation, laboratory work, and be involved in the makings of new antibiotics.

Communications Major – This is a very popular major where one needs to understand media language, public relations, report, and many other skills that deal with information and people. This career path will lead students to work in the media, with job positions in journalism and public relations, by far the most popular emphasises in the major.

With lot’s of great choices, do your research and find what you love. It’s also important to know which major can get you a job. For more information about colleges and majors visit edsmart.org.