Roughly one in five recent U.S. college graduates regret their choice of major, according to a ZipRecruiter report that surveyed 1,500 graduates from the class of 2025 and 1,500 students set to graduate this spring. The report also documented pay shortfalls and hiring outcomes across a range of academic fields.
Liberal arts majors were the group most likely to regret their field of study, the report found. Among recent graduates in political science, international relations, or public policy, 46.3% expressed dissatisfaction with their choice of major, while 39.2% of communications, media studies, or public relations majors expressed regret. One in three physical sciences majors—those who studied physics, chemistry, or earth sciences—expressed doubts about their choice.
Graduates who studied public health or health administration received pay that was 43.8% lower than they expected upon landing a job, according to the ZipRecruiter report. Graduates in agriculture, environmental science, or natural resources, along with those in English, literature, or journalism, saw compensation 30% lower than they expected.
Nursing graduates recorded stronger outcomes. Nearly one in three nursing graduates secured a job before graduation, and nursing graduates had the highest median salary upon graduation among the majors surveyed, at $70,000 per year. Health care workers remain in high demand due to an aging U.S. population driving a need for care, according to the report. Health care jobs accounted for 43% of total payroll gains in March.
Entry-level roles accounted for 38.6% of job postings on ZipRecruiter as of March 1, down from 43.4% two years earlier, the report said. Research from the Federal Reserve found that middle-aged workers are generally more positive about the value of their college degrees than younger Americans.