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Shatkin 10
College
Part of JIST’s Best Jobs®
Series
800-648-JIST | www.jist.com $17.95 Higher in Canada
How This Book Works
Take a look at Part I for information about personality types and how they relate to college majors. Complete a brief assessment to discover your personality
type in Part II. Browse more than 90 best majors
lists in Part III to fi nd the majors in your personality type that interest you most. Then look up their
descriptions in Part IV for details on college courses,
specializations in the major, descriptions of related
jobs, salary, and more. Simple.
Who Can Benefit from This Book? Planning four
or more years of education beyond high school and
want to fi nd a major that fi ts you? Researching your
future education and career options? Returning to
college but unsure which majors lead to the best
jobs? This book is ideal for people making important
education and career plans, as well as for educators,
counselors, and others advising them.
About the Author. Laurence Shatkin, Ph.D., has 30
years in the career information fi eld; presents and
blogs on career issues; and is the author of many
career and education books, including 50 Best Jobs
for Your Personality and Panicked Student’s Guide
to Choosing a College Major. He is frequently interviewed by major media on trends in the world of
work. Follow him on Twitter at @LaurenceShatkin.
Match Your Personality to Best College Majors
Research has proven that matching your personality to a
major improves your satisfaction and success in college and
in your future career. This eye-opening book helps you
identify your personality type and the 10 best majors that
connect to it. Also uncover related jobs with the best pay
and growth that you are likely to be good at or enjoy.
Helpful Facts on Best Majors for
Your Personality
The author used the most up-to-date facts from government and college sources in this volume. Besides the best
majors lists, the book includes information-packed descriptions of more than 50 college majors, plus related jobs, for
the six personality types: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic,
Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. Among this book’s
many helpful facts:
The best Realistic major is Computer Engineering. Its
related jobs pay an average of $92,000, are growing at
23.1 percent, and have 10,109 openings per year.
Among the Social majors with the best job-opening
potential are Nursing (number 1, with 103,900 annual
openings in related jobs), Elementary Education (number
2, 59,560 openings), and Physical Education (number 4,
23,020 openings).
The best majors for extroverts include Medicine (number
1), Human Resources Management (number 6), and
International Business (number 9).
More than 250,000 Best Jobs books in print!
for 10 Your
Best College Majors
Part of JIST’s Best Jobs®
Series
Personality
55+ Major Descriptions for 6 Personality Types
90+ Best Majors Lists, Including Majors Leading
to Jobs with the Best Pay and Fastest Growth
Part of JIST’s Best Jobs®
Series
g
Laurence Shatkin, Ph.D.
Three Steps to Your Best College Major Options
Choose the best major for your personality
type: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social,
Enterprising, or Conventional.
Best majors lists for each personality type,
organized by potential pay, growth, and more.
Descriptions of majors and related jobs packed
with details on course sequence, pay, openings,
work tasks, and skills needed.
10
Part of JIST’s Best Jobs®
Personality Series
Best College
Majors for
Your
Second
Edition
Edition
Second
Second
Edition
“Picking a major is anything but simple. If you are undecided about your major
and what you want to do in life, this book can help you sort it out.” Campus Talk magazine
Best College Majors for Your Personality
10 Best Coll Maj 2E cover.indd 1 4/6/11 8:43:50 AM
Laurence Shatkin, Ph.D.
Also in JIST’s Best Jobs® Series
Best Jobs for the 21st Century
200 Best Jobs for College Graduates
300 Best Jobs Without a Four-Year Degree
200 Best Jobs Th rough Apprenticeships
50 Best Jobs for Your Personality
40 Best Fields for Your Career
225 Best Jobs for Baby Boomers
250 Best-Paying Jobs
150 Best Jobs for Your Skills
150 Best Jobs Th rough Military Training
150 Best Jobs for a Better World
200 Best Jobs for Introverts
150 Best Low-Stress Jobs
10 Best College Majors for Your Personality, Second Edition
© 2011 by JIST Publishing
Published by JIST Works, an imprint of JIST Publishing
7321 Shadeland Station, Suite 200
Indianapolis, IN 46256-3923
Phone: 800-648-JIST Fax: 877-454-7839
E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.jist.com
Some Other Books by the Author
Best Jobs for the 21st Century
200 Best Jobs for College Graduates
300 Best Jobs Without a Four-Year Degree
200 Best Jobs Th rough Apprenticeships
50 Best Jobs for Your Personality
40 Best Fields for Your Career
225 Best Jobs for Baby Boomers
250 Best-Paying Jobs
150 Best Jobs for a Better World
200 Best Jobs for Introverts
Quantity discounts are available for JIST products. Please call our sales department at 800-648-JIST for a free catalog and more
information.
Visit www.jist.com for information on JIST, free job search information, tables of contents, sample pages, and ordering information
on our many products.
Acquisitions Editor: Susan Pines
Development Editor: Stephanie Koutek
Cover and Interior Designer: Aleata Halbig
Cover Photo: Adam Kaz, iStock
Interior Layout: Aleata Halbig
Proofreaders: Laura Bowman, Jeanne Clark
Indexer: Kelly D. Henthorne
Printed in the United States of America
16 15 14 13 12 11 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Shatkin, Laurence.
10 best college majors for your personality / Laurence Shatkin. -- 2nd ed.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-1-59357-863-3 (alk. paper)
1. College majors--United States. 2. Vocational guidance--United
States. I. Title.
LB2361.5.S528 2011
378.2’41--dc22
2011010829
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system,
without prior permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles or reviews. Making copies of
any part of this book for any purpose other than your own personal use is a violation of United States copyright laws. For permission
requests, please contact the Copyright Clearance Center at www.copyright.com or (978) 750-8400.
We have been careful to provide accurate information throughout this book, but it is possible that errors and omissions have been
introduced. Please consider this in making any career plans or other important decisions. Trust your own judgment above all else and
in all things.
Trademarks: All brand names and product names used in this book are trade names, service marks, trademarks, or registered
trademarks of their respective owners.
ISBN 978-1-59357-863-3
This Is a Big Book, But It Is
Very Easy to Use
Psychologists often use the concept of personality as a convenient
way of summarizing many characteristics of a person. It can be
especially useful when you’re making decisions about your education
and your career.
What kind of personality do you have? Forget about common labels such as
“happy-go-lucky,” “dependable,” “even-tempered,” “friendly,” or “funny.” Th ese
might help you get a date on Saturday night, but they’re not much help in
choosing a college major.
Th at’s where this book can help. Learn about the personality types that many
psychologists and guidance practitioners use to describe people, college majors,
and careers. Take a quick assessment to help you clarify your dominant personality
type. Th en dig into a gold mine of facts about the college majors that are the
best fi t for your personality type—and that are the best for other reasons, such
as their potential for income and job openings. Lists of “best majors” will suggest
promising majors that you may never have considered. Turn to the descriptive
profi les of the majors to learn what courses to expect, what specializations you may
choose from, and what jobs may be open to you when you graduate. Get detailed
facts about these jobs, based on the latest government data.
You’re probably expecting college to improve your earning potential. So why not
fi nd a major that suits your personality and has outstanding economic potential?
Th is book can show you the way.
Some Things You Can Do with This Book
Explore and select a college major that relates to a career objective that suits your
personality.
Learn about college majors that previously were unfamiliar to you.
Understand what majors are good preparation for a career you already have in
mind.
Learn key facts about jobs that may be a good fi t for your personality.
Th ese are a few of the many ways you can use this book. I hope you fi nd it as
interesting to browse as I did to put together. I have tried to make it easy to use
and as interesting as possible.
When you are done with this book, pass it along or tell someone else about it. I
wish you well in your education, in your career, and in your life.
iv 10 Best College Majors for Your Personality © JIST Works
Credits and Acknowledgments: While the author created this book, it is based on the work of many others. The occupational
information is based on data obtained from the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Census Bureau. These sources provide the most
authoritative occupational information available. The noneconomic job-related information is from the O*NET database, which was
developed by researchers and developers under the direction of the U.S. Department of Labor. They, in turn, were assisted by thousands
of employers who provided details on the nature of work in the many thousands of job samplings used in the database’s development.
We used the most recent version of the O*NET database, release 15. We appreciate and thank the staff of the U.S. Department of Labor
for their efforts and expertise in providing such a rich source of data. The taxonomy of college majors (the Classifi cation of Instructional
Programs) is from the U.S. Department of Education.
v
Table of Contents
Summary of Major Sections
Introduction. A short overview to help you better
understand and use the book. Starts on page 1.
Part I. Your Personality and Your Major. Provides an overview of personality and of personality
types. Th is section also explores the relationship
between personality and college majors. Starts on
page 15.
Part II. What’s Your Personality Type? Take An
Assessment. Helps you discover your personality
type with a short, easy-to-complete assessment.
Starts on page 21.
Part III. Th e Best Majors Lists. Very useful for
exploring college majors! Lists are arranged into
easy-to-use groups based on personality types. Th e
fi rst group of lists presents the 10 best majors for
each personality type. Other lists identify, for each
personality type, majors linked to jobs with the
highest earnings, the fastest job growth, and the
most job openings. More-specialized lists follow,
ranking majors related to jobs by education level,
majors linked to best jobs by worker demographics,
and majors that prepare for jobs requiring either
high or low math and verbal skills. Th e column
starting on the right presents all the list titles.
Starts on page 31.
Part IV. Descriptions of the Best College
Majors for Your Personality. Provides complete
descriptions of the majors that appear on the lists in
Part III, plus fi ve related majors. Each description
contains information on specializations and college
and high school courses, plus defi nitions and key
facts for related jobs. Starts on page 91.
Appendix A. Resources for Further Exploration.
Starts on page 283.
Appendix B. Majors Sorted by Th ree-Letter
Personality Code. Starts on page 285.
Appendix C. Th e Career Clusters and Pathways.
Starts on page 287.
Appendix D. Defi nitions of Skills Used in
Descriptions of Majors. Starts on page 297.
Detailed Table of Contents
Introduction ..................................................... 1
Factors to Consider When You Choose a Major ....1
How to Use Th is Book ......................................... 2
Where the Information Came From ..................... 3
How the Majors in Th is Book Were Selected ....... 7
A Sample Description of a Major .......................... 9
Part I: Your Personality and Your Major .......... 15
Why Personality Is Useful for Choosing
a Major .............................................................15
Th e RIASEC Personality Types .......................... 16
Part II: What’s Your Personality Type? Take
an Assessment ............................................. 21
Step 1: Respond to the Statements ..................22
Step 2: Score Your Responses ..........................29
Step 3: Find College Majors that Suit Your
Personality Type .........................................29
Part III: The Best Majors Lists ........................ 31
Some Details on the Lists ................................... 32
Best Majors Overall for Each Personality Type:
Majors Related to Jobs with the Highest Pay,
Fastest Growth, and Most Openings ............... 33
Th e 10 Best Realistic Majors .......................... 34
Th e 10 Best Investigative Majors .................... 35
Th e 10 Best Artistic Majors ............................ 35
Th e 10 Best Social Majors .............................. 36
Th e 10 Best Enterprising Majors .................... 36
Th e 10 Best Conventional Majors .................. 37
Th e 5 Realistic Majors with the Best Income
Potential ....................................................38
Th e 5 Investigative Majors with the Best
Income Potential ........................................38
Th e 5 Artistic Majors with the Best Income
Potential ....................................................39
Th e 5 Social Majors with the Best Income
Potential ....................................................39
Th e 5 Enterprising Majors with the Best
Income Potential ........................................39
Table of Contents _______________________________________________________________________
vi 10 Best College Majors for Your Personality © JIST Works
Th e 5 Conventional Majors with the Best
Income Potential ........................................40
Th e 5 Realistic Majors with the Best
Job-Growth Potential .................................40
Th e 5 Investigative Majors with the Best
Job-Growth Potential ..................................41
Th e 5 Artistic Majors with the Best
Job-Growth Potential ..................................41
Th e 5 Social Majors with the Best
Job-Growth Potential ..................................41
Th e 5 Enterprising Majors with the Best
Job-Growth Potential .................................42
Th e 5 Conventional Majors with the Best
Job-Growth Potential .................................42
Th e 5 Realistic Majors with the Best
Job-Opening Potential ................................ 43
Th e 5 Investigative Majors with the Best
Job-Opening Potential ................................ 43
Th e 5 Artistic Majors with the Best
Job-Opening Potential ................................ 43
Th e 5 Social Majors with the Best
Job-Opening Potential ................................44
Th e 5 Enterprising Majors with the Best
Job-Opening Potential ................................44
Th e 5 Conventional Majors with the Best
Job-Opening Potential ................................44
Best Majors Lists by Demographic ......................45
Best Realistic Majors Related to Jobs with
a High Percentage of Self-Employed
Workers ...................................................... 46
Best Investigative Majors Related to Jobs
with a High Percentage of Self-Employed
Workers ...................................................... 46
Best Artistic Majors Related to Jobs with
a High Percentage of Self-Employed
Workers ...................................................... 46
Best Social Majors Related to Jobs with
a High Percentage of Self-Employed
Workers ...................................................... 47
Best Enterprising Majors Related to Jobs
with a High Percentage of Self-Employed
Workers ...................................................... 47
Best Conventional Majors Related to Jobs
with a High Percentage of Self-Employed
Workers ...................................................... 47
Best Realistic Majors Related to Jobs
Employing 60 Percent or More Urban
Workers ...................................................... 49
Best Investigative Majors Related to Jobs
Employing 60 Percent or More Urban
Workers ...................................................... 49
Best Artistic Majors Related to Jobs
Employing 60 Percent or More Urban
Workers ...................................................... 49
Best Social Majors Related to Jobs
Employing 60 Percent or More Urban
Workers ......................................................50
Best Enterprising Majors Related to Jobs
Employing 60 Percent or More Urban
Workers ......................................................50
Best Conventional Majors Related to Jobs
Employing 60 Percent or More Urban
Workers .......................................................51
Best Realistic Majors Related to Jobs
Employing 6 Percent or More Rural
Workers .......................................................51
Best Investigative Majors Related to Jobs
Employing 6 Percent or More Rural
Workers ...................................................... 52
Best Artistic Majors Related to Jobs
Employing 6 Percent or More Rural
Workers ...................................................... 52
Best Social Majors Related to Jobs Employing
6 Percent or More Rural Workers ................ 52
Best Enterprising Majors Related to Jobs
Employing 6 Percent or More Rural
Workers ...................................................... 53
Best Conventional Majors Related to Jobs
Employing 6 Percent or More Rural
Workers ...................................................... 53
Best Artistic Majors Related to Jobs with a
High Percentage of Women ......................... 54
Best Social Majors Related to Jobs with a
High Percentage of Women ......................... 55
________________________________________________________________________ Table of Contents
vii 10 Best College Majors for Your Personality © JIST Works
Best Enterprising Majors Related to Jobs
with a High Percentage of Women .............. 55
Best Conventional Majors Related to Jobs
with a High Percentage of Women .............. 55
Best Realistic Majors Related to Jobs with a
High Percentage of Men .............................. 56
Best Investigative Majors Related to Jobs
with a High Percentage of Men ................... 56
Best Artistic Majors Related to Jobs with
a High Percentage of Men ........................... 57
Best Social Majors Related to Jobs with
a High Percentage of Men ........................... 57
Best Enterprising Majors Related to Jobs
with a High Percentage of Men ................... 57
Best Conventional Majors Related to Jobs
with a High Percentage of Men ................... 57
Best Majors Related to Jobs at Diff erent
Levels of Education .......................................... 58
Best Majors Related to Jobs that Require
Long-Term On-the-Job Training ................. 59
Best Majors Related to Jobs that Require a
Bachelor’s Degree ........................................60
Best Majors Related to Jobs that Require
Work Experience Plus Degree .......................61
Best Majors Related to Jobs that Require a
Master’s Degree ..........................................62
Best Majors Related to Jobs that Require a
Doctoral Degree ......................................... 63
Best Majors Related to Jobs that Require a
First Professional Degree ............................. 63
Best Majors Lists by Verbal and Math Skills ...... 64
Realistic Majors Related to Jobs that Require
the Highest Level of Verbal Skills ................. 65
Investigative Majors Related to Jobs that
Require the Highest Level of Verbal Skills .... 65
Artistic Majors Related to Jobs that Require
the Highest Level of Verbal Skills ................. 66
Social Majors Related to Jobs that Require
the Highest Level of Verbal Skills ................. 66
Enterprising Majors Related to Jobs that
Require the Highest Level of Verbal Skills .... 66
Conventional Majors Related to Jobs that
Require the Highest Level of Verbal Skills .... 67
Best Realistic Majors Related to Jobs that
Require a High Level of Verbal Skills ........... 67
Best Investigative Majors Related to Jobs
that Require a High Level of Verbal Skills ... 67
Best Artistic Majors Related to Jobs that
Require a High Level of Verbal Skills ...........68
Best Social Majors Related to Jobs that
Require a High Level of Verbal Skills ...........68
Best Enterprising Majors Related to Jobs
that Require a High Level of Verbal Skills ... 69
Best Conventional Majors Related to Jobs
that Require a High Level of Verbal Skills ... 69
Best Majors Related to Jobs that Require a
Low Level of Verbal Skills ...........................70
Realistic Majors Related to Jobs that Require
the Highest Level of Math Skills ...................71
Investigative Majors Related to Jobs that
Require the Highest Level of Math Skills .......71
Artistic Majors Related to Jobs that Require
the Highest Level of Math Skills ...................71
Social Majors Related to Jobs that Require
the Highest Level of Math Skills .................. 72
Enterprising Majors Related to Jobs that
Require the Highest Level of Math Skills ...... 72
Conventional Majors Related to Jobs that
Require the Highest Level of Math Skills ...... 72
Best Realistic Majors Related to Jobs that
Require a High Level of Math Skills ............ 73
Best Investigative Majors Related to Jobs
that Require a High Level of Math Skills ..... 73
Best Artistic Majors Related to Jobs that
Require a High Level of Math Skills ............ 73
Best Social Majors Related to Jobs that
Require a High Level of Math Skills ............ 74
Best Enterprising Majors Related to Jobs
that Require a High Level of Math Skills ..... 74
Best Conventional Majors Related to Jobs
that Require a High Level of Math Skills ..... 74
Best Majors Related to Jobs that Require a
Low Level of Math Skills ............................ 76
Table of Contents _______________________________________________________________________
viii 10 Best College Majors for Your Personality © JIST Works
Bonus Lists: Best Majors that May Appeal to
Other Aspects of Your Personality ................... 77
Best Majors for Introverts .............................. 78
Best Majors for Extroverts ..............................79
Best Majors for Persistent People ....................80
Best Majors for Sensitive People ......................81
Best Majors for People with Self-Control ........82
Best Majors for Stress-Tolerant People ............ 83
Best Majors for Flexible People ...................... 84
Best Majors for Detail-Oriented People .......... 85
Best Majors for Innovators ............................. 86
Best Majors for Analytical Th inkers ................ 87
Best Majors Related to Jobs Not Behind
a Desk .......................................................88
Best Majors Related to World-Improving
Jobs ............................................................89
Part IV: Descriptions of the Best College
Majors for Your Personality .......................... 91
Realistic Majors .................................................. 93
Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering ..........93
Related Jobs .................................................. 93
1. Aerospace Engineers ............................... 93
2. Engineering Managers ............................ 94
Civil Engineering .......................................95
Related Jobs .................................................. 96
1. Civil Engineers ...................................... 96
2. Engineering Managers ............................98
Computer Engineering ...............................99
Dentistry ....................................................99
Environmental Science ...............................99
Geology .......................................................99
Related Jobs ................................................100
1. Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and
Geographers .......................................100
2. Hydrologists ..........................................101
3. Natural Sciences Managers ....................101
Geophysics ................................................103
Related Jobs ................................................ 103
1. Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and
Geographers ....................................... 103
2. Natural Sciences Managers ................... 104
Microbiology .............................................106
Related Jobs ................................................ 107
1. Medical Scientists, Except
Epidemiologists ................................... 107
2. Microbiologists ..................................... 107
3. Natural Sciences Managers ................... 108
Oceanography ...........................................109
Related Jobs ................................................ 110
1. Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and
Geographers ....................................... 110
2. Hydrologists ..........................................111
3. Natural Sciences Managers ....................111
Veterinary Medicine ................................. 113
Investigative Majors ...........................................114
Biochemistry ............................................. 114
Related Jobs .................................................114
1. Biochemists and Biophysicists .................114
2. Medical Scientists, Except
Epidemiologists ....................................115
3. Natural Sciences Managers ....................116
Computer Engineering ............................. 117
Related Jobs .................................................118
1. Computer Hardware Engineers .............118
2. Computer Software Engineers,
Applications .........................................119
3. Computer Software Engineers, Systems
Software .............................................119
4. Computer Specialists, All Other ............120
5. Engineering Managers .......................... 128
Computer Science .....................................129
Related Jobs ................................................130
1. Computer and Information Scientists,
Research .............................................130
________________________________________________________________________ Table of Contents
ix 10 Best College Majors for Your Personality © JIST Works
2. Computer and Information Systems
Managers ...........................................130
3. Computer Software Engineers,
Applications .........................................131
4. Computer Software Engineers, Systems
Software .............................................131
5. Computer Specialists, All Other ............ 132
6. Database Administrators ...................... 139
7. Network and Computer Systems
Administrators .................................... 140
8. Network Systems and Data
Communications Analysts ....................141
Dentistry ..................................................142
Related Jobs ................................................ 143
Dentists, General ..................................... 143
Economics .................................................144
Related Jobs ................................................ 144
1. Economists ........................................... 144
2. Market Research Analysts ......................145
3. Survey Researchers ............................... 146
Environmental Science ............................. 147
Related Jobs ................................................ 148
1. Environmental Science and Protection
Technicians, Including Health ............. 148
2. Environmental Scientists and
Specialists, Including Health ............... 148
Medicine ...................................................150
Related Jobs ................................................ 152
Physicians and Surgeons ........................... 152
Optometry ................................................160
Related Jobs ................................................ 160
Optometrists ............................................ 160
Pharmacy ................................................. 161
Related Jobs ................................................ 162
Pharmacists ............................................. 162
Veterinary Medicine .................................163
Related Jobs ................................................ 163
Veterinarians ........................................... 163
Artistic Majors ...................................................165
Architecture .............................................. 165
Related Jobs ................................................ 166
1. Architects, Except Landscape and
Naval ................................................ 166
2. Engineering Managers .......................... 166
Chinese ..................................................... 167
Related Jobs ................................................ 168
Interpreters and Translators ...................... 168
Classics .....................................................168
Related Jobs ................................................ 169
1. Anthropologists and Archeologists .......... 169
2. Interpreters and Translators .................. 170
French ....................................................... 171
Related Jobs ................................................ 172
Interpreters and Translators ...................... 172
German .................................................... 172
Related Jobs ................................................ 173
Interpreters and Translators ...................... 173
Graphic Design, Commercial Art, and
Illustration ............................................. 173
Related Jobs .................................................175
1. Commercial and Industrial Designers ....175
2. Computer Programmers ........................175
3. Computer Specialists, All Other ............ 176
4. Graphic Designers ................................ 183
5. Multi-Media Artists and Animators...... 184
6. Set and Exhibit Designers ..................... 184
Interior Design ......................................... 185
Related Jobs ................................................ 185
Interior Designers .................................... 185
Japanese ....................................................186
Related Jobs ................................................ 187
Interpreters and Translators ...................... 187
Modern Foreign Language ....................... 187
Related Jobs ................................................ 188
Interpreters and Translators ...................... 188
Table of Contents _______________________________________________________________________
x 10 Best College Majors for Your Personality © JIST Works
Russian .....................................................189
Related Jobs ................................................ 189
Interpreters and Translators ...................... 189
Spanish .....................................................190
Related Jobs .................................................191
Interpreters and Translators .......................191
Social Majors .................................................... 192
African-American Studies ........................192
Related Jobs ................................................ 192
Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies
Teachers, Postsecondary ....................... 192
American Studies ......................................193
Related Jobs ................................................ 194
Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies
Teachers, Postsecondary ....................... 194
Area Studies ..............................................194
Related Jobs ................................................ 195
Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies
Teachers, Postsecondary ....................... 195
Chiropractic .............................................196
Related Jobs ................................................ 197
Chiropractors ........................................... 197
Communications Studies/Speech ..............197
Related Jobs ................................................ 198
1. Public Address System and Other
Announcers......................................... 198
2. Public Relations Specialists ................... 199
3. Technical Writers ................................. 199
4. Writers and Authors .............................200
Elementary Education .............................. 201
Related Jobs ................................................202
Elementary School Teachers, Except
Special Education ...............................202
Graduate Study for College Teaching .......202
Related Jobs ................................................203
Postsecondary Teachers .............................203
Humanities ...............................................208
Related Jobs ................................................209
Postsecondary Teachers .............................209
Nursing (R.N. Training) .......................... 211
Related Jobs ................................................ 212
Registered Nurses ..................................... 212
Occupational Th erapy .............................. 214
Related Jobs .................................................215
Occupational Th erapists ............................215
Physical Education ................................... 216
Related Jobs .................................................217
1. Coaches and Scouts ...............................217
2. Middle School Teachers, Except Special
and Vocational Education....................217
3. Secondary School Teachers, Except
Special and Vocational Education ....... 218
Physical Th erapy ....................................... 218
Related Jobs ................................................ 219
Physical Th erapists ................................... 219
Physician Assisting ...................................220
Related Jobs .................................................221
Physician Assistants ...................................221
Speech-Language Pathology and
Audiology ...............................................222
Related Jobs ................................................222
1. Audiologists .........................................222
2. Speech-Language Pathologists ...............223
Women’s Studies .......................................223
Related Jobs ................................................ 224
Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies
Teachers, Postsecondary ....................... 224
Enterprising Majors .......................................... 226
Bioengineering .........................................226
Related Jobs ................................................ 226
1. Biomedical Engineers ........................... 226
2. Engineering Managers .......................... 227
Biology ......................................................228
Related Jobs ................................................229
Natural Sciences Managers .......................229
Botany ...................................................... 231
Related Jobs .................................................231
Natural Sciences Managers ........................231
________________________________________________________________________ Table of Contents
xi 10 Best College Majors for Your Personality © JIST Works
Business Management ..............................233
Related Jobs ................................................234
1. Administrative Services Managers .........234
2. Chief Executives ...................................234
3. Construction Managers ........................ 236
4. Cost Estimators .................................... 236
5. General and Operations Managers ....... 237
6. Industrial Production Managers ........... 237
7. Management Analysts ...........................241
8. Sales Managers .....................................241
9. Social and Community Service
Managers ........................................... 242
10. Transportation, Storage, and
Distribution Managers ....................... 243
Health Information Systems
Administration .......................................244
Related Jobs ................................................ 245
Medical and Health Services Managers ..... 245
Human Resources Management ...............246
Related Jobs ................................................ 247
1. Compensation and Benefi ts Managers ... 247
2. Compensation, Benefi ts, and Job
Analysis Specialists .............................. 248
3. Employment, Recruitment, and
Placement Specialists .......................... 248
4. Training and Development Managers ... 249
5. Training and Development Specialists ... 250
International Business .............................250
Related Jobs .................................................251
1. Chief Executives ....................................251
2. General and Operations Managers ....... 252
Law ...........................................................253
Related Jobs ................................................ 254
1. Administrative Law Judges,
Adjudicators, and Hearing Offi cers ...... 254
2. Arbitrators, Mediators, and
Conciliators ........................................ 255
3. Judges, Magistrate Judges, and
Magistrates ......................................... 255
4. Law Clerks .......................................... 256
5. Lawyers ............................................... 256
Management Information Systems ........... 257
Related Jobs ................................................ 258
1. Computer and Information Systems
Managers ........................................... 258
2. Computer Programmers ....................... 258
3. Database Administrators ...................... 259
Public Relations .......................................259
Related Jobs ................................................260
1. Advertising and Promotions
Managers ...........................................260
2. Public Relations Managers ....................261
3. Public Relations Specialists ...................262
Conventional Majors ........................................ 263
Accounting ................................................263
Related Jobs ................................................263
1. Accountants and Auditors .....................263
2. Budget Analysts .................................... 265
3. Credit Analysts .................................... 265
4. Financial Examiners ............................ 266
5. Tax Examiners, Collectors, and
Revenue Agents ................................... 266
Actuarial Science ......................................267
Related Jobs ................................................268
Actuaries .................................................268
Business Management ..............................268
Computer Science .....................................268
Finance .....................................................268
Related Jobs ................................................269
1. Budget Analysts ....................................269
2. Credit Analysts ....................................270
3. Financial Analysts ................................270
4. Financial Managers .............................270
5. Loan Offi cers ....................................... 272
6. Personal Financial Advisors .................. 272
Table of Contents _______________________________________________________________________
xii 10 Best College Majors for Your Personality © JIST Works
International Business .............................273
Management Information Systems ...........273
Marketing .................................................273
Related Jobs ................................................ 274
1. Advertising and Promotions
Managers ........................................... 274
2. Marketing Managers ............................ 275
3. Sales Managers .................................... 275
Pharmacy .................................................276
Public Administration ..............................276
Related Jobs ................................................ 277
1. Administrative Services Managers ......... 277
2. Chief Executives ................................... 277
3. Emergency Management Specialists ....... 279
4. General and Operations Managers ....... 279
5. Legislators ............................................280
6. Postmasters and Mail
Superintendents ..................................280
7. Social and Community Service
Managers ........................................... 281
8. Transportation, Storage, and
Distribution Managers ....................... 281
Appendix A: Resources for Further
Exploration ................................................283
Facts About Majors and Careers ....................... 283
Educational and Career Decision Making
and Planning ................................................. 284
Appendix B: Majors Sorted by Three-Letter
Personality Code ........................................285
Appendix C: The Career Clusters and
Pathways ...................................................287
Appendix D: Defi nitions of Skills Used in
Descriptions of Majors ...............................297
Index ...........................................................299
1
Introduction
Choosing a major can be scary. It’s not a simple either/or decision, like choosing a car
with either stick shift or automatic. It means a commitment of several years and,
in most cases, a great amount of money. Although it’s a personal decision, your friends
and relatives will probably feel free to second-guess it. How can you sort out all of the
possible choices and pick one that’s right for you?
Th is book can help. It won’t tell you what to do, but it will guide you to the information
you need to make an intelligent choice—information about yourself, about majors, and
about careers.
Many successful careers begin with an associate (two-year) degree, but workers with a
bachelor’s have 26 percent higher earnings and 23 percent less unemployment, so this
book focuses on majors that require four or more years of education beyond high school.
Factors to Consider When You Choose
a Major
When you’re trying to choose a major, a good place to start is to think about why
you’re going to college at all. Some people have trivial reasons for going to college, and
choosing a major is easy for them. For example, if you’re going to college because all
of your friends are going, then choose the same major that your best friends choose.
If you’re going because you think that’s where the really cool social scene is, study
whatever’s easiest for you so your coursework won’t interfere with your social life.
But most people who go to college have a more important reason: making themselves
more employable in the future. Th ey view college as an investment of time and money
that will pay off through future employment opportunities. Whether they are planning
for a specifi c job goal or a general area of employment, they expect that a college degree
will result in higher earnings and less time spent unemployed. And they’re right about
this. In fact, the economic value of a college education continues to grow.
Introduction ___________________________________________________________________________
2 10 Best College Majors for Your Personality © JIST Works
Th erefore, an important factor to consider when you choose a college major is the
potential economic rewards of the major. Diff erent majors promise diff erent earnings
and job opportunities. Th is book can help with your decision because it ranks majors in
terms of their potential economic rewards, based on the latest information available from
the U.S. Department of Labor.
But money alone can’t buy happiness. It would not be wise to decide on how to invest
the time, money, and energy you’re devoting to college simply by selling them to the
highest bidder. Instead, you should consider the following additional factors when you
think about choosing a college major:
What majors are interesting to you?
What majors are consistent with your skills?
What majors match your preferences for styles and locations of learning?
Th is is a lot to consider, but fortunately there is a shortcut that can summarize these
various noneconomic factors: personality. Career professionals and academic advisors
often use an analysis of personality that focuses on six major types, referred to by the
six-letter abbreviation RIASEC. Developed by occupational researcher John L. Holland,
RIASEC stands for the personality types that he identifi ed: Realistic, Investigative,
Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. (Part I discusses this scheme in detail.)
Once you identify your personality type and match it to college majors, as this book will
help you do, you can identify majors that suit your interests, your skills, and how and
where you enjoy learning.
How to Use This Book
Th is is a book that you can dive right into:
If you don’t know much about what personality types are, you’ll want to read
Part I, which is an overview of the theory behind using personality types as a way of
making choices about college majors and careers. You’ll also see defi nitions of the six
personality types that are used in this book.
If you want to understand your own personality type, you’ll want to do the
assessment in Part II. It takes only 20 or 30 minutes to complete and can guide you
to majors that suit you.
If you like lists and want an easy way to compare majors, you should turn to Part
III. Here you can browse lists showing the 10 majors for each personality type that
are linked to jobs with the best pay, the fastest growth, and the most job openings.
You can see these “best majors” broken down in various ways, such as by amount of
education required.