I'm curious about which subjects tend to be the most popular in college. Are there certain fields that everyone seems to gravitate towards, or does it vary a lot by school? Wondering what my potential classmates might be interested in.
From a statistical standpoint, Business is the most popular major in the U.S., with sizable portions of undergraduates studying areas such as Business Administration and Management, Marketing, or Finance.
Close behind Business, the Health Professions and Related Programs is a very popular field. This umbrella major comprises degrees in fields like Nursing, Physical Therapy, and Public Health.
Degrees in Social Sciences and History also maintain high enrollment numbers, including areas such as Psychology, Economics, and Political Science.
In the STEM fields, Biology is often the most popular major, followed closely by Engineering, which has multiple disciplines of its own including Mechanical, Civil, Electrical, and Computer Engineering.
However, the popularity of these majors can vary significantly by school, especially between liberal arts colleges and technology-focused universities. For example, a liberal arts college might see a higher proportion of students studying Literature, Philosophy, or History, whereas a technical institution might have a higher number of students studying Engineering, Computer Science, or Physics.
Remember, while it can be interesting to know the most popular majors, choosing a field of study should be more about your interest, passion, and career goals rather than doing what everyone else is doing.
CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.