<p>First, the word "best" needs to be defined. For this discussion, let's define "best" career paths as those that are more recession-proof, stable and decently in-demand for employment. Basically one that would not guarantee, but improve the likelihood of earning a living after graduation with potential in the future. Figuring this out is especially important in times like this.</p>
<p>I find that people studying Psychology, Philosophy, (Foreign) Studies, History, and etc will have a hard time utilizing their degrees in the job hunt because there is not a clear-cut path for employment upon graduation.</p>
<p>It seems as engineering seems to be one of the "best" with medicine coming shortly after. I continue to wonder if law is in this tier.</p>
<p>test…you are not giving enough information to even give you suggestions. If you’re not interested in engineering, for example, that is NOT the field for you to choose regardless of employment potential after you graduate.</p>
<p>If you are looking for fabulous employment potential, you might want to consider some of the trades. I know there is a huge shortage of good plumbers, and they can earn a fabulous living…always in demand. Ditto licensed electricians…who can do not only new construction but also work on infrastructure repairs. </p>
<p>But back to my question…what are YOU interested in? What do you enjoy?</p>
<p>@thumper1, thanks for your care but this really isn’t about me; I just wanted to get a discussion going so we could discuss a few core paths/majors a little bit so that other students in general might be able to pick one that they could be interested. 2 birds with one stone :)</p>
<p>I also brought this up because since almost everyone is getting a degree, it seems that the TYPE of degree is of utmost importance nowadays.</p>
<p>Why do you think engineering seems to be one of the “best”? I think a manager with a lot engineers working for him/her would be better. One doesn’t need to be a trained engineer to be a manager of engineers. </p>
<p>As an example, I am a career manager. I have a lot of programmers working for me, I don’t know what they are talking most of the time. I have people working for me, and I have never done their work before, but I am asked to help them make decisions in order to move their projects forward. </p>
<p>I have a liberal arts education, but I probably do better financially than many of those people with advanced specialized degrees. I had no clear-cut path with my degree when I graduated, but I was able to utilize my liberal arts education to help me adapt to the changing job market. </p>
<p>I think when people are so specialized, when that specialty is no longer needed, then they also become unemployable. On th other hand, if that specialized skill is in demand, then people will also pay up for it too. But I think it is hard to figure out what skills would be in demand 10, 20, or 30 years from now.</p>
<p>One thing I would like to add is if you enjoy what you are doing, then you would do well, whether it’s engineering, medicine, or teaching. Not everyone could be a good doctor or a good lawyer. I could never be a teacher because I am too impatient, but there are some people could be very good. There is nothing worse than doing something which you are not suited for.</p>
<p>@jshain - is that true today still? One of my friends told me that he could not find a job in accounting, which led me to believe that even the stable accounting jobs are in question.</p>
<p>Sounds good oldfort, what credentials did you need in order to land that position?</p>
<p>Engineering? Competition from India. Medicine? Figure the capital outlay (and the other moneymaking uses for the same money), and the lost years of revenue, and the impacts of health reform, and it suddenly isn’t such a good bet. Law? Got to be kidding.</p>
<p>Accounting and geriatric nursing. My d. (accounting), first year out of school, will make about as much as I do. My wife (hospice nurse), after four years, makes much more.</p>
<p>Most people in India don’t go to IIT. Until 200 more IIT level schools open up in India (and the average student quality increases dramatically to match) there’s going to be demand for well educated American engineers. Don’t be silly.</p>
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<p>I’m not in industry yet, but I’ve heard the opposite. That is, if you’re going to suck at whatever you do, the best choice (for employability sake) is engineering. </p>
<p>If you’re very smart and hardworking you’ll probably be successful with any major. In fact I would recommend you not do engineering, unless you really want to be an engineer, if you are very smart. If you’re just average I think engineering is a good choice.</p>
<p>@testanalyst, My D did her summer internship at a Big 4 firm. Almost everyone who interned was offered permanent full-time positions when they graduate next Spring. These kids, representing all “tiers” of schools from coast to coast, will all be earning a very good salary to start, 3 weeks vacation going to 4 weeks after the first two years, nice bonus after passing the CPA exam, full health benefits, etc. etc.</p>
<p>Society will always need coroners and the clean up crews. Society will always need prison guards. A career as a soldier will probably never disappear unfortunately.</p>
<p>One degree or more? Your examples are comparing some undergrad degrees with medicine, which requires more than one degree.</p>
<p>Sure philosophy and psychology might not have the most obvious job prospects with just an undergrad…but are paths to law, MBA, PhD in clinical psychology, medicine, masters in public admin, PhDs in business, and many others which do have direct career paths (and have varying degrees of ensuring a reasonable career).</p>
<p>Taking this a little out of the box: The ultimate degree for job security is the Mrs. in Home Ec. Seriously getting a bachelors in Home Ec and marrying well will beat any undergraduate degree hands down.</p>
<p>Success in a career is a three-legged stool: education, hard work, and luck. For many careers, the quality of the education really doesn’t matter all that much, as long as you have a degree, often a degree in something. Hard work and luck have a lot more to do with it.</p>
<p>It’s very difficult to predict today what the secure jobs will be. Forty years ago, when I was in the Navy, I very briefly had a job counseling sailors who were close to being ready for discharge, trying to convince them to re-enlist. I remember one guy, Tom, who seemed to me to be particularly well-adapted for military life, counseling him about the benefits of staying in the Navy - retirement, medical benefits, etc. No way. Tom was going to go back home and get this secure, well-paying job and be set up for life that way - working in a factory for a Big 3 auto maker.</p>
<p>I’ve often wondered how Tom’s life turned out.</p>
I have people working for me, and I have never done their work before, but I am asked to help them make decisions in order to move their projects forward. </p>