10 Popular Majors New York Students Fall in Love With

New York is most well-known for New York City — one of the largest cities in the world. With a diverse population and a variety of industries, New York City is an attractive hub for students. Attending college in New York City provides students with many internship opportunities and experiences.

New York is more than just the big city. The state offers beachfronts, rivers, mountain scenery, and city life. With hundreds of colleges, including private and public universities, community colleges, and online options, New York has options for every major.

Choosing a college major can be overwhelming for many first-year college students. Colleges offer so many majors and minors to choose from. When choosing a college major, consider the following points.

Before choosing a major, consider your passions and interests. Studying subjects that interest you can help keep you engaged and interested in your coursework, even when your studies become challenging. You may also find it easier to maintain a positive outlook throughout college if you major in a subject you are passionate about.

Along with choosing a subject you are passionate about, you should also examine your strengths and weaknesses in different content areas. Think about picking a major in a subject that you generally perform strongly in. For instance, if you are good at math, you could pursue a math-heavy major like physics, analytics, or business economics.

College costs are rising, and education is becoming a bigger financial investment. Being aware of your long-term goals can help you choose a major that can help you accomplish your goals and save you money. You should also factor in the best majors for continuing on to graduate school or entering specific career fields.

Because college can be expensive, consider the financial rewards that come with specific majors. For instance, women may find more scholarship opportunities if they enter science or math fields, whereas men may find financial incentives to pursue degrees like nursing. Consider majors you can pursue online versus on campus or at less costly universities.

When choosing a college major, you may not realize how many majors actually exist. If you need help creating a list of potential majors based on your interests and strengths, keep reading to discover more about the 10 most popular majors for learners studying at New York colleges.

Computer science majors study a mix of math, engineering, and science to understand how computers, software, and networks function. Computer science majors learn various programming methods to create and fix computer code.

Students can specialize in specific computer science areas like computer and network security and information management and analytics.

Psychology, one of the most consistently top majors for college students, is the study of human behavior and the theories that try to explain our decisions and motivations. Psychology majors take courses in abnormal psychology, sociology, and statistics. Candidates can specialize in particular areas of psychology, including group counseling or addiction counseling.

Majoring in psychology prepares students to work in a variety of career fields. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the need for mental health specialists, like psychologists, to grow by 8% between 2020-2030.

Biology majors complete many science and math courses. Students typically take other science classes like genetics, human anatomy and physiology, and biochemistry along with biology courses. Math courses may include calculus and biophysics. Students often pair traditional classes with labs and research coursework.

Many biology programs offer specialization options. These specialties can include biotechnology, microbiology, and molecular biology. Biology is a popular major for people studying at New York universities because the state houses many large companies and offers several research opportunities.

Business management degrees, one of the most common degrees in the country, educate candidates in different business aspects, including finance, leadership, and marketing. Business majors can study general business management or focus on a specific area like healthcare administration, international business, or public administration.

With all the large businesses that call New York City home, many students pursue business degrees in the state. As of 2020, 54 of the Fortune 500 companies are headquartered in New York.

A communication degree prepares graduates with the necessary hard and soft skills to pursue many roles in the workforce. Communication majors study various media publication software like audio and video production and digital editing. Coursework also includes subjects like advertising, social media creation, and writing.

Many communication programs offer electives in specialized areas such as photojournalism and marketing. Since many communication programs require internships, studying in New York is a popular option.

As an economics major, students gain a deep understanding of how the economy works. Along with the content knowledge, economics majors develop strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills. They also strengthen their communication skills. Coursework includes several math and economics classes, including game theory and calculus.

Studying economics in New York could lead to exciting internships and future career connections with the New York Stock Exchange.

Students interested in the healthcare field’s non-clinical side can pursue a health sciences program, which centers on the science of human or animal health. Coursework includes many science credits like organic chemistry, anatomy and physiology, and biology.

Because New York has many competitive graduate schools in the healthcare field, pursuing a health sciences degree is a common path.

A visual and performing arts program covers diverse art forms, from interior design to playwriting. Students take a set amount of general credits alongside their art credits. Visual and performing arts include many creative mediums, so students may specialize in an area such as art history, graphic design, or theater.

Between Broadway and the presence of major broadcast outlets, New York is brimming with creative energy and opportunities.

A liberal arts degree is a well-rounded program that includes philosophy, history, and psychology coursework. With an emphasis on soft skills, liberal arts majors are well-equipped to join the workforce in various fields. They can pursue liberal arts careers in marketing, human resources, or teaching.

Political science majors study the government in courses that cover political theories and examine their real-world impact. Students discover more about American politics and international politics. Courses may include foreign policy, public policy, and comparative politics.

Students who graduate with a political science degree can enter the workforce or continue to graduate school, including law school and business school.

When looking at all the colleges in New York, psychology is one of the most frequent majors to top most New York colleges’ lists. Along with psychology, other popular majors include visual and performing arts, liberal arts majors, and communication or journalism majors.

NYU is especially well known for its performing arts and business programs. It offers several competitive, well-regarded programs. NYU’s Tisch School of Arts offers a major in visual and performing arts. Many famous actors and singers have graduated from this school. NYU’s business school, The Stern School of Business, is also well regarded. Popular majors for this school include business, marketing, and management.

Choosing a major can feel overwhelming. When deciding on a major, consider your interests and strengths. You may earn higher grades in subjects that interest you and subjects that you excelled at in high school.

Consider your long-term goals when choosing a major. Although your major does not need to dictate your future career, you want a major that fits your future goals. Think about whether or not you plan on pursuing graduate school as well.

New York has many well-renowned colleges that offer high-quality, rigorous academic programs. Finding the best college in New York for your major may involve research. Check each college’s programs to see if they have ranked in any “best of” lists.

Another indicator of whether or not a college may be the best for your major is locating the program’s graduate success rate information. Many programs provide data on how many graduates have found employment in their field after graduation. This can be one indicator of how good the college’s program is.