Curious about the easiest college majors in 2024/25? The blog will mainly discuss “what makes a college major easy” and “what are the easiest majors”. The data is collected from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. What needs to be emphasized is that we’re not encouraging you to choose the major only according to its easiness. In fact, the easiest majors are those that best suit your academic interests and career goals. Meanwhile, choosing the easiest college majors doesn’t mean that you will get the lowest-paying job. On the contrary, many of them lead to a high salary. Follow our footprint to learn more about the best easiest majors in college with high pay in the US.
10 Easiest College Majors
Anthropology
Anthropology, belonging to the Humanities, is the study of cultural history and the evolution of social relationships. There are various career paths for this major, like government, nonprofit, and business.
- Pros: Your skills of research, communication, and writing will be greatly developed, all of which are useful in many fields, such as museum studies, archeology, and community services.
- Cons: The major involves a lot of travel and physical activities, which may lead to exhaustion. Many projects have been researched for ages without a final result, so you need to steel yourself against years of waiting.
- Average unemployment rate (age 22-27): 4.5%
- Percentage with master’s degree: 49%
- Jobs & Median Annual Salary 2023:
| Jobs | Median Annual Salary 2023 |
|---|---|
| Anthropology Professor or Researcher | $93,650 |
| Anthropologist / Archeologist | $63,800 |
| Community Service Manager | $77,030 |
| Market Research Analyst | $74,680 |
| Archivist | $59,910 |
| Public Relations Specialist | $66,750 |
| Human Resources Specialist | $67,650 |
Obviously, the median annual salary is higher than the national average salary, $59,228, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Business Administration
One of the hottest and easiest college majors in America must be Business Administration. It involves various sub-disciplines, such as Finance, Accounting, and Marketing.
- Pros: Expect to strengthen your management, analysis, and financial intelligence skills. What’s more, you will have the chance to earn a lot of money in this high-paying field.
- Cons: Finding a job may be challenging due to competitive job markets and the limitation of specialized focus.
- Average unemployment rate (age 22-27): 3.2%
- Percentage with master’s degree: 24.4%
- Jobs & Median Annual Salary 2023:
| Jobs | Median Annual Salary 2023 |
|---|---|
| Accountant / Auditor | $79,880 |
| Marketing Manager | $156,580 |
| Financial Analyst | $99,010 |
| Sales Manager | $135,160 |
| Market Research Analyst | $74,680 |
Communications
Communications consistently ranks among the best easiest majors in college. It is undoubtedly the most suitable choice for those interested in the Media and News industry.
- Pros: Communications is a practical major that can be applied in daily life. In this way, you can foster your capability of writing, public speaking, and creative thinking.
- Cons: The starting salary is often relatively low, so you need to economize in the initial phase.
- Average unemployment rate (age 22-27): 4.7%
- Percentage with master’s degree: 24.3%
- Jobs & Median Annual Salary 2023:
| Jobs | Median Annual Salary 2023 |
|---|---|
| Editor | $75,020 |
| Reporter or Journalist | $57,500 |
| Technical Writer | $80,050 |
| Author | $73,690 |
| Public Relations Specialist | $66,750 |
Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice is generally regarded as one of the easiest majors in college, but its career paths are challenging, especially in police work and corrections. If you have dreamed of being a Superman, choose this major and fight for truth and justice!
- Pros: If you are swamped with reading and writing, why not study Criminal Justice and help others in a down-to-earth way?
- Cons: Criminal Justice is a particularly stressful field.
- Average unemployment rate (age 22-27): 2.8%
- Percentage with graduate degree: 23.4%
- Jobs & Median Annual Salary 2023:
| Jobs | Median Annual Salary 2023 |
|---|---|
| Correctional Officer | $53,300 |
| Forensic Science Technician | $64,940 |
| Police Officer | $72,280 |
| Private Detective or Investigator | $49,540 |
| Paralegal | $60,970 |
Education
Education is not only one of the majors that are easy, but it is also a significant and meaningful field. As a teacher, you could impact your students in the process of delivering knowledge and sharing life experiences and lessons.
- Pros: The SAT entrance scores for Education are among the lowest, which makes it one of the easiest majors to get into college. In addition, if you are weary of desk work, being occupied by teaching is more suitable for you.
- Cons: The field requires interns full-time with no wages.
- Average unemployment rate (age 22-27): 1.99%
- Percentage with graduate degree: 17%
- Jobs & Median Annual Salary 2023:
| Jobs | Median Annual Salary 2023 |
|---|---|
| Elementary School Teacher | $63,680 |
| High School Teacher | $65,220 |
| Instructional Coordinator | $74,620 |
| Middle School Teacher | $64,290 |
| Training and Development Specialist | $64,340 |
English
For students keen on reading, English will be the easiest degree to earn. English, as a reading-heavy major, is mainly a study of reading and analyzing great literary works.
- Pros: You could enjoy the greatest freedom of wandering about the sea of books. Additionally, there are no major research papers.
- Cons: It is a little difficult to get a specific job since there are overwhelming career paths and a lack of focus. Plus, with plenty of missions in reading and writing, you need to spend a lot of time on your coursework.
- Average unemployment rate (age 22-27): 6.6%
- Percentage with postgraduate degree: 47.1%
- Jobs & Median Annual Salary 2023:
| Jobs | Median Annual Salary 2023 |
|---|---|
| High School Teacher | $65,220 |
| Librarian and Media Collections Specialist | $64,370 |
| Advertising and Promotions Manager | $131,870 |
| Executive Assistant | $46,010 |
| Writer or Author | $73,690 |
Health Sciences
Health Sciences is undoubtedly on the list of the highest-paying jobs in the USA. However, many jobs in this field require a master’s degree. Take this point into account when choosing a major!
- Pros: As a major with many market demands, plenty of job opportunities await you.
- Cons: You must spend much time and energy to succeed in your classes.
- Average unemployment rate (age 22-27): 5.4%
- Percentage with postgraduate degree: 17%
- Jobs & Median Annual Salary 2023:
| Jobs | Median Annual Salary 2023 |
|---|---|
| Physical Therapist | $99,710 |
| Physician Assistant | $130,020 |
| Medical or Health Services Manager | $110,680 |
| Registered Nurse | $86,070 |
| Health Education Specialist | $62,860 |
History
History is also regarded as one of the easy college majors, especially for students interested in the past.
- Pros: It helps develop your ability to think critically and do research.
- Cons: It is necessary to get a graduate degree for employment. The material you gain may be the translated version or in the original language, increasing your difficulty in studying.
- Average unemployment rate (age 22-27): 9.5%
- Percentage with postgraduate degree: 8%
- Jobs & Median Annual Salary 2023:
| Jobs | Median Annual Salary 2023 |
|---|---|
| High School Teacher | $65,220 |
| Historian | $72,890 |
| History Professor | $82,140 |
| Museum Curator | $57,120 |
| Archivist | $59,910 |
Psychology
Are you interested in knowing people and understanding their inner motivations? If your answer is yes, then Psychology will be the easiest major in college for you. While studying Psychology, you will interact with people of different personalities and study human behaviours.
- Pros: As the easiest major to find a job, there is a wide selection of career paths. Meanwhile, your skills in analysis and communication can be enhanced.
- Cons: A lot of studies and statistical analysis are demanded. At the same time, if you want to be a psychologist, you will need further education, at least a Master’s degree.
- Average unemployment rate (age 22-27): 5.4%
- Percentage with graduate degree: 51%
- Jobs & Median Annual Salary 2023:
| Jobs | Median Annual Salary 2023 |
|---|---|
| Clinical / Counseling Psychologists | $96,100 |
| Market Research Analyst | $74,680 |
| School Psychologist | $84,940 |
| Social Worker | $63,770 |
| Human Resources Manager | $136,350 |
Sociology
Sociology, as one of the easy uni degrees, prepares students to explore human behaviour and social institutions.
- Pros: The Sociology materials are relatively more readable, featuring short and spot on.
- Cons: The unemployment rate of Sociology majors is 9.9% (from Georgetown’s study).
- Average unemployment rate (age 22-27): 9.9%
- Percentage with graduate degree: 15%
- Jobs & Median Annual Salary 2023:
| Jobs | Median Annual Salary 2023 |
|---|---|
| Career Counselor | $61,710 |
| College Professor | $79,870 |
| Market Research Analyst | $74,680 |
| Project Management Specialist | $98,580 |
| Social Worker | $63,770 |
Determining Easiest College Majors
As mentioned above, whether the specific major is easy or not depends on your personal interests, life experiences, and career plans. The criteria, hence, vary greatly for different students. Therefore, we could only list some blanket factors to estimate the easiness of a major.
GPA
One way to determine the easiest majors is to look at the academic performance of most students in that major. For example, if many students in this major could get higher average GPAs, that major might be “easier” than others. The University of California-Berkeley has compiled the average graduating GPAs for each major. The chart below presents some of that.
| Major | Average GPA / Headcount (2023/24) |
|---|---|
| Anthropology | 3.73 / 80 |
| Applied Math | 3.36 / 203 |
| Art | 3.74 / 76 |
| Business Administration | 3.62 / 425 |
| Chemistry | 3.46 / 65 |
| Civil Engineering | 3.37 / 112 |
| Comparative Literature | 3.70 / 28 |
| Data Science | 3.40 / 846 |
| Physics | 3.50 / 113 |
From the diagram above, it is obvious that the average GPAs for STEM courses like Chemistry are lower than for Humanities disciplines like Anthropology. However, this perspective is not sole and exact, and we should also consider the size and strength of the program.
Dropout Rate
We can also analyze the overall dropout rate to determine the easy majors. According to the data from The New York Times, 60% of STEM students choose to switch majors or drop out, which is more than twice the attrition rate of other majors. There are 2 speculations:
- The STEM majors might be more difficult.
- The Humanities majors are more subjective in the aspect of evaluation, and then the grading processes are also kinder.
Time and Energy Required
In addition to GPA and dropout rate, the time and energy we need to put in are also essential when evaluating the easiest majors in college. For example, how long will it take to complete your homework, papers, and studying? Are there more group projects or independent programs?
Benefits along with Easiest Majors
- If you choose relatively easy majors based on your interests and goals, your confidence will be boosted with a satisfying academic journey and higher GPAs.
- With the easiest degree to obtain, you can graduate on time and move into the next stage of your life—earning money.
- You might feel less stressed with the easiest major in college. Since you may spend fewer hours on homework and papers, you can keep a balance between study and life. Enjoy happy university experiences!
Easiest College Majors with High Pay
From the data mentioned above, we can see that most of the easiest college majors lead to high pay, such as Psychology, Health Sciences, Communications, and Business Administration. The average median salary in these fields in 2023 is about $70,000—$100,000 per year! If you want to choose from the easiest majors in college that pay well, don’t miss these majors!
Final Thoughts about Easiest College Majors
After reading the whole passage, what are the easiest college majors in your mind? Choose a more practical major like Criminal Justice or a reading-heavy degree such as English? The blogger hopes that you will get the easiest degrees based on your aims and interests. Enjoy your academic journey!
Other Things about Easiest College Majors
What degree is easy and pays well?
The easiest college majors with high pay include Psychology, Health Sciences, Communications, and Business Administration. The graduates can earn an average of $70,000—$100,000 per year!
What is the quickest degree to get?
The following easiest university degrees can be gotten in 2 years:
- Accounting
- Criminal Justice
- Early Childhood Education
- General Studies
- Marketing
- Psychology
What is the least stressful major in college?
The least stressful majors in college include Education, English, and Anthropology. You don’t need to spend much time on coursework and papers studying in these majors. The GPAs are also higher because of the subjectivity of teachers.
What is the easiest degree to get online?
English, Psychology, and Liberal Arts are among the easiest degrees to obtain online. By the way, most online degrees need a full-time study of 3 to 4 years. It would be wise to arrange time reasonably.
What is the easiest major in college?
The easiest majors in college for 2025 include:
- Anthropology
- Business Administration
- Communications
- Criminal Justice
- Education
- English
- Health Sciences
- History
- Psychology
- Sociology
