These are the best and worst degrees in America

The data on some degrees might surprise you

Looking at unemployment and underemplyment

Some are working but not in their fields

The data on some degrees might surprise you

The traditional four-year college degree life path is becoming increasingly questioned as a way to achieve a good career but some degrees are still worth both the time and price according to findings from the New York Federal Reserve Bank.

Looking at unemployment and underemplyment

Surprises are lurking in the data for the best and worst degrees in terms of a graduate’s employment status following their time in school, and it's really important to not only look at unemployment rates by major but also underemployment rates.

Never miss a story! Click here to follow The Daily Digest.

Some are working but not in their fields

Some graduates with less-than-employable degrees might have found work after school but sometimes that work has nothing to do with their degree. With that said, let’s look at the top ten best and worst degrees in the United States in 2024, starting with he worst.

10. Commercial Art & Graphic Design

Unemployment Rate: 6.0%

Underemployment Rate: 33.7%

Median Career Wage: $45,000

Median Mid-Career Wage: $75,000

Share with a Graduate Degree: 11.3%

9. Physics

Unemployment Rate: 6.2%

Underemployment Rate: 31.2%

Median Career Wage: $62,000

Median Mid-Career Wage: $95,000

Share with a Graduate Degree: 67.9%

8. Mass Media

Unemployment Rate: 6.3%

Underemployment Rate: 47.7%

Median Career Wage: $42,000

Median Mid-Career Wage: $70,000

Share with a Graduate Degree: 20.8%

7. Technologies Majors

Unemployment Rate: 6.4%

Underemployment Rate: 54.8%

Median Career Wage: $50,000

Median Mid-Career Wage: $80,000

Share with a Graduate Degree: 18.1%

6. English Literature

Unemployment Rate: 6.6%

Underemployment Rate: 48.4%

Median Career Wage: $42,000

Median Mid-Career Wage: $72,000

Share with a Graduate Degree: 47.1%

5. History

Unemployment Rate: 7.5%

Underemployment Rate: 53.5%

Median Career Wage: $40,000

Median Mid-Career Wage: $70,000

Share with a Graduate Degree: 52.0%

4. Aerospace Engineering

Unemployment Rate: 7.8%

Underemployment Rate: 17.9%

Median Career Wage: $74,000

Median Mid-Career Wage: $120,000

Share with a Graduate Degree: 51.2%

3. Fine Arts

Unemployment Rate: 7.9%

Underemployment Rate: 55.5%

Median Career Wage: $40,000

Median Mid-Career Wage: $68,000

Share with a Graduate Degree: 22.6%

2. Liberal Arts

Unemployment Rate: 7.9%

Underemployment Rate: 56.7%

Median Career Wage: $38,000

Median Mid-Career Wage: $65,000

Share with a Graduate Degree: 30.2%

1. Art History

Unemployment Rate: 8.0%

Underemployment Rate: 62.3%

Median Career Wage: $41,000

Median Mid-Career Wage: $72,000

Share with a Graduate Degree: 43.8%

What about the best college degrees?

Finding college majors like physics, graphics design, and aerospace engineering on the list of the worst degrees in 2024 is rather interesting. But you might be just as surprised to see what made it onto the list of best degrees with career potential.

10. Secondary Eduction

Unemployment Rate: 1.6%

Underemployment Rate: 22.0%

Median Career Wage: $41,000

Median Mid-Career Wage: $55,000

Share with a Graduate Degree: 51.6%

9. Animal and Plant Sciences

Unemployment Rate: 1.6%

Underemployment Rate: 56.3%

Median Career Wage: $41,000

Median Mid-Career Wage: $70,000

Share with a Graduate Degree: 36.5%