Infographic: Most Popular College Majors

Edudemic published an infographic of the most popular college majors by gender and area. When I look back at my own undergraduate study, I definitely followed the most popular major route for women.  I am also surprised that business and economics did not make the top college majors for men.

In the academic year of 2009-10, a total of 1,650,014 college and university students earned their Bachelor's Degree. That's 33% more than graduating class 10 years earlier. Well over half of those graduating were female students (57.2%).

Figure 1: Bachelor's Degrees Awarded by Degree Granting Institutions

• 22% Business (management, marketing, personal and culinary services)
• 10% Social Studies (social sciences and history, excluding psychology)
• 08% Healthcare (health professions and related programs)
• 06% Education
• 06% Psychology
• 06% Visual and performing arts

Figure 2: Most Popular Bachelor's Degrees for Females

• 88% Human Sciences/Family and Consumer Sciences
• 85% Health Professions
• 82% Social Services
• 80% Education
• 77% Psychology

Figure 3: Most Popular Bachelor's Degrees for Males

• 83% Engineering and engineering technologies
• 82% Computer sciences
• 59% Physical sciences
• 53% Recreation/fitness studies
• 51% Agriculture

Among professional master's degrees awarded by degree granting institutions in 2009-10, education is the most awarded degree, followed by business (#2), and health professions (#3). Engineering (#4) and public administration and social services (#4) roughly awarded the same number of degrees.