Oversaturation?

College Majors Business Major
1

I’m in the military looking to get into college with little over a year left on my enlistment. I want to further my education
and become more valuable. I hear things such as “such and such degree is over saturated, it’s hard to find work”. This worries me, as I know I definitely don’t want to stay enlisted in a job that doesn’t translate fully into the civilian world. My plan is to get an undergrad and hopefully come back in as an officer, but I’d like to be able to have good prospects in the civilian world as well (maybe even better).

I was looking at potential degrees such as economics, finance, accounting etc. but all I hear is how people are making these ridiculously low salaries after all of that work. Then I hear about how everyone is demanding engineers etc. but I am not mathematically inclined. (I believe I can learn the required applied math, but definitely not that crazy Einstein stuff that engineers learn).

Should I just give up on college and learn a trade? I like the military and all, and wouldn’t give up the past four years for anything else, but I want to do better. The military only allows you to grow and succeed to a certain point vs the civilian world where possibilities are endless ( but making a living is much harder to come by) Also, the cuts are beginning to become worrisome, and knowing I won’t have a job that applies to the outside world, I couldn’t imagine being cut with nowhere else to go.

What would be the best course of action?
Is it even worth getting these degrees in hopes of a better life?

2

You could probably get a supply chain management degree, go back as an officer for logistics and you probably wouldn’t have trouble finding civilian work when you’re done in the military.

3

My grandpa mentioned something about getting into supply as an officer. Maybe you two are on to something. I’ll definitely look into that. Thanks!

4

Get a business degree. Accounting is in very high demand but expect to eventually get a MS in accounting or an MBA later down the road.

Finance and economics are a little saturated and very competitive. It comes down o where your school ranks, the program ranks, the companies that recruit from those schools and your class rank and GPA at the end of it all. If you plan to party and have a good time while making mediocre grades then you will have much more limited options.

Almost nothing in the military translates well into the civilian side - you will get to do many things in the military that won’t translate because civilians require hours of training, certifications and other ongoing training that you won’t get. So, you’ll be over-qualified but under-certified to do many jobs. I was in that position and made the transition.

I did accounting in the Army and it is nothing at all like accounting in the civilian side. Many other things like this happened to others I knew. Either get out or go back in to finish 25-30 years.