It is graduation day, your name is called, you walk across the stage and are handed a diploma.
Now what?
Most graduates will take what they have learned and enter into the workforce in their respected fields. But do certain degrees benefit you more than others?
According to a September 2012 CBS news story “Best-paying jobs for bachelor’s degree holders,” written by Lynn O’Shaughnessy, degrees in medical, engineering and computer science get you the most bang for your buck and are in high demand.
Gov. Rick Perry of Texas and Gov. Rick Scott of Florida have taken notice of this and are trying to pass legislation that lowers tuition for specific degrees.
Degrees that qualify are STEM degrees—science, technology, engineering and math— while humanities and social science degrees would remain more expensive.
While some may feel the government is trying to control what type of schooling citizens get, it is an incentive to bring back jobs to Americans.
STEM degrees are in high demand. There are just not enough American citizens to hold the positions, and companies are forced to outsource jobs.
All of these degrees take a longer time to receive than, for example, an English degree, which makes people more hesitant to pick them as their major. According to the form released in 2006, “How long does it take to get an engineering degree” published by the University of Wisconsin at Madison Student Services, the average engineering degree will take six years.
Since these majors take longer than others, it is OK that students will have help with paying for their school.
When more people pick these as their majors, it will give Americans the chance to be hired by American companies and provide for their families.
In the end, this will help colleges and universities as well. At first it might seem like a bad idea because the majors selected do take a long time, and that is a lot of money the school could have kept. However, with the new tuition drop, more people will want to go to school, which will bring the school more money.
I am a communication major, so the tuition drop would not benefit me. I am not offended that the government does not see my degree as worthwhile enough to lower tuition. There are plenty of communication majors, an abundance really. Since I know how to communicate, I will not have a problem finding a job.
I have wanted to be a news anchor since I was in fifth grade, and I am not going to change my major because tuition levels will be lower for other degrees
In the end, pick something you love to do. Don’t just do it for the money.
