Degrees to Dodge: 16 Majors That Will Empty Your Pockets and Offer Slim Pickings for Jobs
Ever thought about college, only to fear ending up with a degree that’s about as useful as a chocolate teapot? Sure, no degree is utterly worthless, but let’s face it, some just don’t stack up when it comes to landing a job that’ll help dodge the debt bullet. Not every career path needs a framed certificate; heck, I’m a copywriter and didn’t bother with journalism or marketing degrees. Sometimes, just rolling up your sleeves and diving in beats a fancy piece of paper.
While digging around, I stumbled upon a bunch of degrees that are fast becoming about as necessary as a payphone. This list of 16 academic misfires comes with heavy debt and flimsy job prospects. If you’re gung-ho about any of these fields, maybe keep it as a side hustle while getting a degree in something that actually pays the bills.
1. **Dance** – Most arts degrees will have you dancing with debt rather than in a studio. The national average salary for dance grads is a mere $45,818—not too shabby until you remember the mountain of debt you’re under.
2. **Theater** – Similar to dance, but swap the leotard for a script. The job market is tighter than stage costume, and I see too many talented folks scrambling for the spotlight in an overcrowded scene.
3. **Photography** – None of the shutterbugs I know bothered with a degree. They just started snapping, building portfolios, and voila—careers made. Skip the tuition, grab a camera.
4. **Sociology** – Earning bucks with this degree is like finding a needle in a societal haystack. I know folks juggling multiple gigs just to make rent. The numbers? An average salary of $59,361, but it can dip as low as $22,000. Yikes.
5. **Psychology** – This can be lucrative, but typically those big paychecks need a master’s degree or better. Sticking with just a bachelor’s might leave you analyzing your bank account with despair.
6. **Anthropology** – Love the past? Great, but don’t expect job offers to be dug up easily. It’s competitive with not many positions to fill. Some folks end up in HR or marketing instead.
7. **Culinary Arts** – Here’s a juicy secret: you don’t need a degree to cook up a storm. The culinary world is vast, from food trucks to five-star hotels, and most places value experience over diplomas.
8. **Biology** – Unless you’re planning on being the next Darwin, a broad biology degree might not morph into the career you hoped for. My old biology teachers? None of them ended up in labs; they’re teaching kids about mitochondria instead.
9. **Philosophy** – Prepare to philosophize about why you thought this degree would pay off. Jobs are scarce unless academia is calling your name, possibly in another field.
10. **Fashion Design** – In the fashion world, it’s less about what you know, and more about who you know. Networking trumps coursework, so maybe skip the runway debt.
11. **Cultural Studies** – Fascinating? Absolutely. Financially rewarding? Not so much. It’s a tough gig finding a well-paying job in this niche field.
12. **Geography** – Ever met a rich geographer? Me neither. Some find their way into urban planning or environmental science, but many are mapping their way to other careers.
13. **Advertising** – I pen ads without an advertising degree. It’s all about creativity and persuasion. Save your money; the industry’s about as stable as a house of cards.
14. **Film** – Hollywood dreams often come with Hollywood-sized debts. Many in the industry didn’t study film but got there through grit and networking.
15. **English** – As a writer, it pains me to say, but you don’t need an English degree to write. Many end up teaching, which isn’t known for six-figure salaries.
16. **Creative Writing** – Another writing woe. Great authors like Ray Bradbury skipped college and still captured the world’s imagination. Maybe focus on crafting your narrative outside the lecture hall.
So, before you dive into the deep end of academia, maybe take a page from someone who’s been around the block—explore, experience, and educate yourself in ways that don’t involve signing a lifetime of loan agreements. Who knows, you might find your passion pays off more as a hobby while you make a living doing something else entirely.
