20 Most Useless College Degrees 2024
Numerous degree options and professional trajectories are available to students embarking on their college journey. We'll help you by going over the most useless college degrees so you can make an informed decision.
The choice quickly becomes overwhelming, with dozens or even hundreds of different options.
When choosing a major, you may first consider a college degree that sounds most exciting and what you think you would be good at. Nonetheless, you may overlook the potential usefulness of a college degree in securing employment following graduation.
When considering what major is best for you, it's important to consider which degrees will secure you a job and which are entirely useless.
Useful Degrees That Might Interest You
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.Here are some of the most useless college degrees out there.
20 Most Useless Degrees of 2024
1. Advertising
Pursuing an advertising major could lead to potential career paths in digital marketing, e-commerce, or sports marketing. What many advertising majors don't realize, however, is that to land a highly competitive job in one of these areas, their degree should be directly in that field.
Advertising majors take classes on promoting and selling products through media outlets like social media, television, and bulletin boards. They also learn what aspects of advertising are most appealing to people, including color and design. This education leaves limited opportunities for employment after graduation. Those who graduate with an advertising degree can find a job at advertising companies, but few employers will take them otherwise. Those who do not succeed in advertising have few other options.
2. Anthropology And Archeology
A degree in anthropology and archeology may sound appealing if you love history, travel, and being outside. If you are not willing to commit significant time and money to obtain a PhD in the field and to potentially spend years in roles such as underpaid intern or research assistant this career path may not be suitable for you.
Anthropology investigate's human civilizations and their cultural development while archaeology examines human history by unearthing artifacts and remains. Those who graduate with a degree in anthropology and archeology may hope to spend time studying the findings on a historical excavation site or at least in a museum. While a prestigious doctorate from Harvard or Yale may land you at an excavation site, likely, the majority of degree's won't even get you out of your backyard.
Those who cannot make it in this field may search elsewhere but have difficulty finding a job.
3. Art history
Students who study art history love art and design. Those who want to get a degree in art history usually take classes in art composition and multiple classes in art history from every time period. They may study influential artists like Vincent van Gogh or Claude Monet.
Although students with an art history degree are passionate about old art and sculptures, it's hard to make a career out of it. Those who graduate have a wealth of knowledge about art throughout the centuries but have difficulty finding a job where they can use it. Some get jobs at art museums and, later on, as art appraisers, but this is one of the most challenging fields to break into. Most places that specialize in art want to see a lengthy resume with plenty of experience.
Individuals who complete their studies but are unable to secure a career within the realm of art must seek opportunities in other domains. However, their limiting degree doesn't leave them many options. Most employers want to see education more directly applicable to their careers.
4. Communications
Communications majors study the science behind communication. They learn how to make communication more accessible while promoting suitable communication methods. If you're interested in communications, you may take classes related to oral and visual rhetoric and classes that help you learn how to promote your message best.
Because communications is such a broad field, the degree has no specific focus. While this may sound useful, it makes getting a job after college more difficult. Those with a communication degree commonly pursue journalism, marketing, and business administration jobs. However, those interested in one of these fields are better off getting that specific degree. Many jobs that communications majors may apply for after graduation are related to specific majors. This makes getting a job with a broad communications degree more difficult.
5. Computer Science
Pursuing a computer science degree may appear to be a promising path towards a thriving career post graduation. However like many of the most useless college degrees, computer science is a challenging degree to use after you graduate.
This is because a general computer science degree is broad just like a degree in communications. Some students enter computer science to get a job in coding, information technology, or cybersecurity. However there are specific programs for these career paths that look much better on a resume.
Upon completing a computer science degree, you might find yourself uncertain about the next steps to take. To get a job you may require higher education in your field or more specific education and focus in an area like coding or cybersecurity. You may instead find yourself looking for a job with your current education and experience, which may prove unsuccessful.
6. Creative Writing
Creative writers really do have skills that people who want to publish stories and novels want to have. However, their education is narrow and specific. During their education, students in a creative writing major learn how to tell a story with colorful words and create poetry while also learning about the professional writing process. Their writing is flowing and descriptive.
Although you may become a talented writer with a creative writing degree you're not going to make enough money to make ends meet unless you publish a major novel or childrens story. Creative writers don't learn the skills of journalism or the technicality of linguistics to pursue a job writing for a newspaper or other news company. Instead, they are left with beautiful writing skills and no job.
If you're interested in creative writing and hope to publish a book someday consider majoring in a similar field, like journalistic writing, and taking some creative writing classes. This will make you more employable following graduation and give you a steady income while you write a novel.
7. Criminal Justice
Numerous students are inspired by television series and films such as NCIS or Criminal Minds to pursue studies in the criminal justice sector. Actors make jobs like detectives and special agents seem attractive and fun. Nonetheless, the truth about these careers is that they are not only perilous but also quite scarce.
Many students who major in criminal justice will spend a significant amount of time after graduation searching for a rare desk job for which they are qualified. They may work as paper pushers for their city or state of residence. Some individuals might pursue further education or training to embark on careers as police officers, lawyers, or foster care workers. When considering a career in criminal justice it's crucial to assess the desired job and determine if it aligns with your intended career trajectory.
8. Culinary arts
Culinary arts may teach students how to cook and make their food look presentable but it doesn't teach them many skills beyond this. A degree may look good on a resume if you're interested in pursuing a job as a cook or chef after college but any other career will consider your training useless.
Students in culinary programs acquire specialized knowledge such as food preparation techniques and ingredient combinations but their training often lacks transferable skills in areas like business or health related matters. While they become proficient in tasks like, vegetable chopping, spice blending, and potato boiling, they may not develop abilities applicable to a broader range of occupations. The result is that many students who graduate with a degree in culinary arts wind up unemployed but well fed after graduation.
Choosing a culinary or trade school over a conventional college or university degree could be a more prudent decision for those genuinely dedicated to forging a career in the culinary arts. This approach enables you to receive specialized training in your chosen field while saving both time and money.
9. Education
At first, this may seem like a highly useful degree. Teaching children is useful, right? However, many who enter the field quickly find this isn't as useful as it sounds.
Education majors must declare a specialty, such as early childhood, special education, or secondary education. Some who do this must get a master's degree to practice in their field. Those who stay with a general education degree may find their degree useless after graduation. A preschool won't want them because they aren't certified in early childhood education. Special education won't want them because they don't have the proper certifications or endorsements.
When contemplating a major in education, evaluate the specific educational field you wish to delve into and determine your area of focus. You should know that you may have to get a master's degree or receive extra training and endorsements to practice. Additionally, education majors typically undergo rigorous placements at schools of their interest to receive student teaching experience. After all of these channels have been completed, it is only then that an education major can expect to get a job.
10. Entrepreneurship
A degree in entrepreneurship may sound great for those looking to start a business someday. However the degree by itself is one of the most useless degrees. This is because students can get all the education they want, but without hands on business experience, their learning will hardly mean a thing.
Achieving success in launching a business necessitates an extensive understanding of business operations gained from years of experience. Numerous accomplished entrepreneurs possess a business degree and have acquired real world knowledge before establishing their ventures. Some might pursue further education, such as a degree in entrepreneurship, while others may opt for a selection of relevant courses.
An entrepreneurship degree by itself, however, leaves the learner questioning where to go next. They are less employable than someone with a business degree and may lack the education and experience it takes to get a job. Those interested in entrepreneurship should pursue experience first.
11. Ethnic and civilization studies
Ethnic and civilization studies is a culturally relevant field that may seem a great choice at first glance. Given the current state of our nation, ethnic and civilization learners are not only important but essential to the progress of our country.
However, a sole degree in ethnic and civilization studies may not land you the career you're hoping for. Many who receive jobs after graduation with this degree look for jobs in education, social work, and counseling. However, each of these jobs receives a special degree of its own. While studying ethnicity and civilization is essential, those interested should consider double majoring in a second degree or using it as a minor to increase their chances of an excellent job following graduation.
12. Fashion design
An individual pursuing a fashion design major may envision starting their own clothing line, joining a prominent company as a designer, or venturing into fashion marketing.
However, it's important to consider this major's job field. Securing a position with a leading fashion brand directly after graduation can be quite difficult, and creating your own brand from the outset is an even more daunting task. Successful people require years of experience, meaningful connections with those in the field, and learning how to build their brand.
If you're truly interested in the field of fashion design, be prepared to battle unemployment and disappointment. Many students who obtain a degree in fashion design are left looking for a job in a different field and find it wildly unsuccessful, as few employers consider their education relevant.
13. Film, video, and photographic arts
This is another degree that attracts those with big dreams. Those passionate about film production and media are found to pursue a completely useless degree.
Students who get a degree in film, video, or photographic arts usually learn how to use their artistic skills to start small businesses in photography or videography. While photography and videography are legitimate professions and many excel in them, these fields typically rely on innate talent rather than acquired skills. As a result, many of those who will be successful photographers will do so with or without a degree. Even if a few courses might offer some valuable insights to enhance their work, obtaining a degree in photography or videography is likely an impractical use of time and money.
14. Languages
Learning languages is an excellent means of acquainting oneself with foreign cultures and getting ready for international travel. While there are undoubtedly many benefits to learning multiple languages, studying languages as a college degree is useless. Those who invest years of their education into perfecting a language may feel accomplished. But when they graduate, there is one crucial question burning in their minds: now what?
Those who graduate with a language degree may become translators. Others work at a foreign embassy or in international relations. If you're lucky enough to land one of these jobs, the pay and job outlook can be okay. Conversely if you do not acquire proficiency in multiple languages, you might have to search for an employer willing to hire you based solely on this language skill set.
Some colleges offer programs for classical languages like Greek and Latin. Others stick to more relevant languages like Spanish and Chinese. If you're going to try and make it big in the language world be sure to choose a relevant language. You should also think about getting a second major to make yourself more marketable when you leave college.
15. Music
An individual pursuing a music major might dedicate their time to choral singing, instrumental performances with a band, or engaging in extracurricular activities such as jazz or marching bands. They also spend much time in class studying music history and composition. Music majors may even focus on a specific area, like composition or conducting.
Because their field is so small, music majors often have trouble finding work after graduation. You may land a job as a prestigious conductor, professional musician, or community band director if you're incredibly talented. Most music majors wind up teaching music lessons or leading worship at church.
Although these are great jobs to make a little extra cash, they rarely manage to pay the bills. Music careers are typically low-paying and don't include benefits or a 401K. The result is that those who major in music look for a different career later. However, due to their limited degrees in music, many find that they lack the type of education that many employers are looking for.
16. Philosophy
Philosophy majors study the nature of knowledge. It often seems like a paradoxical field, as students learn about learning and think about thinking. Although philosophers like Plato and Aristotle are household names and have truly impacted the world, philosophy is a challenging field to break into.
In the present era, the study and application of science have outlasted the study and application of philosophy. Many jobs available on the market are related to science instead of thinking. After undergoing extensive education and gaining experience, philosophy majors may secure employment as philosophy professors, or they may opt to pursue further education in different fields such as law or writing. Those aiming to secure a stable job and acquire a bachelor's degree in philosophy might consider investigating alternative fields.
17. Psychology
The study of the mind and its corresponding behaviors constitutes the field of psychology. Like philosophy, a psychology degree is difficult to use after you graduate.
Psychologists often pursue higher education in their field to practice as clinical psychologists. Individuals who conclude their education with a bachelor's degree often face difficulties in finding a suitable niche. Some counseling jobs are available to those who graduate with a psychology degree. In general, individuals possessing a psychology degree face significant employability challenges.
Thus, it is imperative to assess the number of courses you plan to take and the potential career opportunities following graduation before embarking on a psychology degree. If you're looking at a specific field, you may be better suited and more employable by pursuing a different degree.
18. Studio arts and fine art
Comprising diverse areas such as sculpting, painting, drawing, photography, digital media, and graphic design, a degree in studio and fine arts is well suited for individuals who appreciate various forms of artistic expression. Multiple factors contribute to the perceived value of this degree.
First, as with the degree in photography students are typically talented in their area of interest or they're not. Those who are not talented can not expect to learn what they need to succeed in classes.
Second, those who are exceptionally talented in one of these areas may make a career from it by pursuing their dream without a degree or simply taking a few classes. Despite the limited availability of jobs in fields such as photography and drawing exceptionally gifted individuals might bypass the need for education and launch their careers straightaway.
Third, if a person is particularly interested in obtaining a degree in one of the fine arts they should pick a more specific degree focus. To gain knowledge and prosper in the field of graphic design, selecting a graphic design major is a prudent decision.
19. Theater Arts
A degree in theater arts allows a learner to study acting and the making of theater production. They may take classes about famous plays or classes that help them improve their acting skills. Those who pursue a theater arts degree are typically interested in acting jobs, writing plays, or producing scripts.
Those interested in the theater arts should be wary about pursuing a degree in this area. This is another field where jobs are few and far between following graduation. Graduating with a theater arts degree usually entails participating in internships and continuing education for several years. Eventually, one may secure a low-paying job in the field. Those who pursue a career outside of their degree may be shut out by employers looking for more relevant education.
Those with a lot of talent or drive should continue their education at a theater arts university or center. These schools have more prestigious reputations for education and may help launch an acting career.
20. Travel and tourism
Sounds fun, right? Even though this degree might have the glitz and glamour of travel and getaway, the result of this useless degree isn't so appealing. During their education, students studying travel and tourism learn about the best places to travel, their methods, and how to improve the tourist experience. Although these classes are more entertaining than most, many students who graduate with a travel and tourism degree are left unsure of the next step after graduation.
Students who graduate with a travel and tourism degree have limited job options after they finish school. Although many enter the field hoping to make it big as an Instagram traveler or professional vlogger, the result is that many end up taking boring and mundane office jobs. Some may choose to work as travel agents, while others may take a job as someone who helps others book plane tickets, hotels, or cruises through private companies. As with many of the other most useless degrees, these jobs tend to be poor sources of income with inconsistent hours, and workers aren't always treated well.
Finding a job is difficult if you graduated with a travel and tourism degree but are looking to leave the field. You may have fantastic stories and fun experiences to share, but employers looking for that degree will be disappointed.
Recommended Online Colleges With Useful Degrees
FAQs
What is the most useless degree?
Some people may have acquired great careers in the past by earning the degrees mentioned in this list of useless degrees. Just as time changes, emphasis in the work world changes. Today, someone may have to look at a more specified degree within those fields of study to gain good employment.
Which majors are useless?
Twenty of the most useless degrees are found in this article. There may be other useless degrees but according to Edsmart these top the list.
What are the worst degrees?
This alphabetical list currently contains the most common useless degrees. The most useless degrees of today may not be useless degrees in the future.
| Advertising |
| Anthropology And Archeology |
| Art history |
| Communications |
| Computer Science |
| Creative Writing |
| Criminal Justice |
| Culinary arts |
| Education |
| Entrepreneurship |
| Ethnic and civilization studies |
| Fashion design |
| Film, video, and photographic arts |
| Languages |
| Music |
| Philosophy |
| Psychology |
| Studio arts and fine art |
| Theater Arts |
| Tourism And Hospitality |
| Travel and tourism |
