Easiest College Majors and Degrees

One of many factors to consider when choosing your college major is rigor. Depending on your skills and interests, some majors may be easier to complete than others.

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs, for example, have a reputation for demanding coursework and complex curricula. These fields of study also have strict qualifications for acceptance.

Conversely, degrees in psychology, English, and business are often known for being less demanding and, therefore, “easier” for students to earn a high GPA.

But don’t forget — the easiest bachelor’s degree for one person might be challenging for another. You should weigh the pros and cons of each program, including potential careers and transferable skills, to find the best fit for your personal interests, strengths, and aptitudes.

Below is our take on the easiest college majors based on various factors, including pay, skills, and career opportunities.

So, what makes a college major easy? To determine what fields of study are the easiest to succeed in, we looked at:

The majors below are often thought of as less rigorous because, as a student, you can usually tailor these studies to your strengths and interests. They additionally focus on soft skills, unique ways of thinking, and quantitative analysis over qualitative methods.

Interested in healthcare but not seeking to become a doctor? Then, an applied health sciences major might be a great choice for you.

Applied health sciences is a multidisciplinary field concentrated on health outcomes and quality of life. In this major, students learn some science and technology skills but focus most on developing innovative strategies for hands-on care.

Unlike the pre-med track, applied health sciences does not typically require advanced knowledge of chemistry and other sciences. It may require a general understanding of anatomy and physiology but mostly demands strong people skills. Still, consider your career goals — many healthcare jobs will require additional education, like a graduate degree.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects careers in health to grow faster than average over the next decade. Some of the most popular jobs for these majors will rise, on average, by 11%.

Source: BLS

Business is one of the most popular college majors and is often chosen by students who are not yet sure what career path they want to take. This is because, as a business student, you can gain a wide array of easily transferable skills while you study topics like accounting, management, and organizational behavior.

Some of the top skills business students can expect to develop are:

With a bachelor’s in business administration, you can pursue traditional (and lucrative) careers in finance, marketing, and human resources. But you can also seek less conventional careers in event planning, film production, or construction management.

Remember that earning a business degree may be challenging if you struggle with analysis and statistics.

Source: BLS

A communications degree is a great option for students who are fascinated by the media and news industry. As part of your degree program, you’ll take classes like visual storytelling and multiplatform content creation.

Communications majors study public relations, mass media, journalism, and business communication. You can specialize your degree with concentration options like public relations, journalism, or technical writing.

In a communications program, students foster strong writing, public speaking, and analytical skills.

Source: BLS

Love reading? Then, you may thrive as an English major — it’s one of the most reading-heavy fields of study. In this major, you’ll study literary criticism, rhetoric, and writing and hone the following skills:

With an English degree, you can pursue work in a diverse set of careers including as a writer, a teacher, or a public relations specialist.

Source: BLS

Students who want to earn a bachelor’s degree but are unsure what to pursue may find a general studies major to be a good fit. General studies allow you to explore sciences, humanities, and arts to develop a diverse set of skills like:

However, general studies could be challenging if you find it difficult to focus on multiple subject areas at once and would prefer a more specialized educational path.

Source: BLS

Psychology is a great choice for students interested in working with people and helping them better understand themselves and their emotions. As a psychology major, you will be able to interact with many different types of people and study human behaviors and how we interact with the world.

One of the greatest benefits of this field of study is the vast amount of transferable skills students can gain. Psychology majors often go on to attend law school, work in social services, or lead market research teams.

According to the BLS, popular careers in psych are projected to grow much faster than average by 2033, particularly for specialized counselors.

However, several psychology career paths require a graduate degree — including school psychologists, counselors, or mental health professionals.

Source: BLS

Sociology explores human behavior and social institutions. As a sociology major, you can gain analytical and critical thinking skills, and have the chance to explore subjects like family sociology, organizational behavior, and social inequality.

Graduates can pursue careers in business, marketing, human resources, and community services.

The BLS projects many of the most popular careers for sociology majors to grow by roughly 8% by 2033, which is faster than average.

Source: BLS