New report reveals most popular college degrees in 2023, and the least popular
Choosing what college degree to study is an important decision, as it can influence the career path you embark upon and shape what you do for the rest of your life. A recent Google study conducted by the research team at Test Prep Insight evaluated a list of 56 college degrees to find out what degrees students are most interested in.
Top 10 Most Google Searched Degrees in the US
1. Nursing Nursing is the most Google-searched college degree in the US, topping the list at number one with 3,170,790 monthly searches on average.
Out of all states, nursing ranked first in Delaware, with a rate of 1,351 monthly searches per 100K residents. New York and West Virginia followed closely behind in the second and third spots, with 1,243 and 1,182 monthly searches per 100K residents.
With the healthcare sector continually growing, there is an increased demand for nurses, with COVID-19 emphasizing the importance of healthcare professionals.
2. Management: Management is the second most searched degree in the US, with 2,243,810 monthly searches on average.
The states most interested in management degrees include Hawaii with 1,249 monthly searches per 100K residents followed by Delaware and Maryland with 863 and 852 monthly searches respectively per 100K residents.
Management degrees are popular because they provide valuable leadership and organizational skills applicable to various industries. These skills, among many others, are highly sought after by employers, making graduates well-prepared for such roles and in high demand in the job market.
3. Education : Education degrees are in third place, with 1,414,080 monthly searches on average in the US.
Wyoming ranks first as the state with the highest number of monthly searches per 100K residents at a rate of 600, followed by Delaware and North Dakota at 576 and 566, respectively.
Education degrees have still remained popular in the US, particularly because the demand for teachers is still high according to the Economic Policy Institute.
4. Business Administration: In the fourth spot for the most searched degrees in the US is business administration, with a rate of 1,221,190 monthly searches.
Georgia takes the lead of all states most interested in this degree, recording 503 monthly searches on average per 100K residents. Texas, the second-highest state in population, comes second, with 467 monthly searches on average, followed by New York in third, with 442 monthly searches on average per 100K residents.
Business administration degrees provide students with a versatile skill set that is applicable across various industries, enabling students to have a significant advantage in a rapidly changing job market.
5. Law: Law comes in fifth place and is the last degree with a rate of over 1 million (1,117,810) monthly searches in the US.
New Yorkers search for law degrees the most, at a rate of 519 monthly searches per 100K residents. Massachusetts and California are second and third, with 512 and 489 monthly searches per 100K residents, respectively.
Law remains a popular choice among US residents, with its importance and professional viability as a career choice and how it affects every part of our day-to-day lives making it a fascinating choice for many.
6. Physical Therapy : Physical therapy ranks sixth with 949,860 monthly searches in the US.
Vermont tops the list of states most interested in this degree, with a rate of 658 monthly searches on average per 100K residents. Kansas and Rhode Island rank second and third, with 464 and 408 monthly searches respectively.
Physical therapists help patients recover from injuries, restore function, and promote long-term health. Listed as the third-best job in health care and sixth overall by U.S. News & World Report in 2023, no wonder physical therapy makes the top 10.
7. Computer Science: Computer science takes the seventh spot among the top 10 most searched college degrees in the US, with a rate of 941,800 monthly searches on average.
Maryland ranks first with the highest number of monthly searches per 100K residents at 403, followed by Washington (383) and New York (380).
Computer science stands as a coveted and high-demand degree, offering diverse career prospects across various sectors. As technology continuously evolves, the need for computer science graduates is expected to surge even higher.
8. Psychology: Psychology comes in at eighth place, with 909,760 monthly searches on average in the US.
Vermont tops the average monthly searches per 100K residents among US states, at a rate of 562. Rhode Island and Hawaii come in second and third, with 530 and 487 monthly searches per 100K residents respectively.
Psychology focuses on, among others, the human mind as learning, cognition, intelligence, emotion, and perception, while offering great job positions in the market, not only as a therapist or counsellor, but also as a teacher, child development specialist, or consultant.
9. Social Work: Social work takes the ninth spot, with a rate of 714,070 monthly searches across all US states.
Just as for the psychology degree, Vermont and Rhode Island take the first and second spots with the highest amount of monthly searches for social work, with 379 and 370 monthly searches on average per 100K residents respectively. New York is in third place with 346 monthly searches.
Social work degrees are the perfect choice for those who enjoy working with people and have a strong desire to help them overcome difficult challenges in their lives. These degrees also offer a diverse range of job places, such as schools, hospitals, social service agencies, private practices, etc.
10. Accounting : Accounting rounds out the top 10 list and is by far less searched compared to the other degrees, with a rate of 438,210 monthly searches on average in the US.
Vermont tops the list of states most interested in accounting degrees, with 233 monthly searches on average per 100K residents. Alaska, making the first appearance so far in the list of top three states interested most in a degree, comes second with 228 searches on average, whereas Hawaii ranks third with only 219 monthly searches on average per 100K residents.
Often considered the backbone of a company, the accountant role, and many other accounting-related positions, are the reason why accounting remains a favorite among college graduates.
Top 5 Least Googled Searched College Degrees in the US
1. Anthropology: Anthropology ranks first in the last top 5 degrees with the least searches in the US, with a rate of 32,180 monthly searches on average.
Although the interest seems to be low, anthropology is an excellent degree option for those interested in the behavior, development, and structures of our society.
2. Statistics: Statistics ranks second with the fewest searches in the US, with a rate of 27,950 monthly searches on average.
Statistics prepare students to tackle real-world challenges using data analysis. Statistics play a crucial role in a wide array of fields, from preventing diseases to predicting storms. Learning the skills to gather and dissect complex data empowers majors to make valuable contributions to areas such as public policy and business decision-making.
3. Public Relations: Public relations comes next at third place, with 23,700 monthly searches on average in the US.
A major in public relations, advertising, and applied communication teaches how to use communication strategies to shape a company or brand’s image and share information with the public. Whether it’s a social media ad campaign, a spokesperson addressing questions during a crisis, or a company announcing a new product, this field involves the practical application of effective communication.
4. Pharmaceutical Sciences : Pharmaceutical sciences takes the fourth spot with the fewest searches among college degrees in the US, with a rate of 17,410 monthly searches on average.
Many people believe that pharmaceutical science solely involves selling drugs and pills only. However, it’s essential to recognize that the pharmaceutical sciences encompass a broad range of scientific fields. These fields include drug discovery, drug design, drug delivery, clinical sciences, drug analysis, and various regulatory affairs.
5. Foreign Languages: Foreign languages rank last as the least Google-searched college degree in the US, with only 2,560 monthly searches on average.
This degree allows individuals to engage with people from diverse backgrounds, fostering empathy and cultural sensitivity. It also opens doors to international job opportunities, enabling graduates to work in various fields, such as diplomacy, translating, and international business.
The full list of college degrees:
| Rank | College Degree | Monthly Search Volume |
| 1 | Nursing | 3,170,790 |
| 2 | Management | 2,243,810 |
| 3 | Education | 1,414,080 |
| 4 | Business Administration | 1,221,190 |
| 5 | Law | 1,117,810 |
| 6 | Physical Therapy | 949,860 |
| 7 | Computer Science | 941,800 |
| 8 | Psychology | 909,760 |
| 9 | Social Work | 714,070 |
| 10 | Accounting | 438,210 |
| 11 | Criminal Justice | 434,200 |
| 12 | Public Administration | 428,620 |
| 13 | Information Technology | 409,500 |
| 14 | Cybersecurity | 395,080 |
| 15 | Data Science | 387,460 |
| 16 | Biology | 338,650 |
| 17 | Human Resources | 314,570 |
| 18 | Architecture | 268,010 |
| 19 | Physics | 265,640 |
| 20 | Communications | 237,410 |
| 21 | Music | 229,870 |
| 22 | Theology | 219,720 |
| 23 | Graphic Design | 205,170 |
| 24 | Marketing | 200,390 |
| 25 | Computer Engineering | 196,580 |
| 26 | Liberal Arts | 181,280 |
| 27 | Civil Engineering | 176,570 |
| 28 | Nutrition | 171,560 |
| 29 | Political Science | 170,560 |
| 30 | Finance | 164,150 |
| 31 | Construction Management | 164,090 |
| 32 | Mechanical Engineering | 153,010 |
| 33 | Economics | 141,450 |
| 34 | Software Engineering | 140,930 |
| 35 | Exercise Science | 136,020 |
| 36 | Biomedical Engineering | 134,660 |
| 37 | Supply Chain Management | 133,020 |
| 38 | Management Information Systems | 122,920 |
| 39 | Mathematics | 114,290 |
| 40 | History | 95,130 |
| 41 | Electronics Engineering | 93,690 |
| 42 | Health Informatics | 83,850 |
| 43 | International Relations | 82,830 |
| 44 | Philosophy | 80,650 |
| 45 | English | 77,920 |
| 46 | Environmental Science | 75,080 |
| 47 | Industrial Engineering | 62,490 |
| 48 | Culinary Arts | 59,590 |
| 49 | Chemistry | 58,550 |
| 50 | Journalism | 54,220 |
| 51 | Human Sciences | 44,430 |
| 52 | Anthropology | 32,180 |
| 53 | Statistics | 27,950 |
| 54 | Public Relations | 23,700 |
| 55 | Pharmaceutical Sciences | 17,410 |
| 56 | Foreign Languages | 2,560 |
A spokesperson from Test Prep Insight commented on the findings:
“In an age of increased tuition fees and student debt, the value of a degree’s return-on-investment has never been more critical. The popularity of nursing as the most searched degree aligns with the increased need for healthcare professionals, who have been at the forefront of patient care during the pandemic.
It’s also no wonder that some students are looking into management, business administration, education, and computer science degrees, as there has recently been a high demand in such competitive job markets.
The study also revealed the degrees with the least searches, however, although they may be less searched online, those degrees offer unique perspectives and opportunities for fulfilling careers. Students should consider their passions and long-term goals when choosing a degree path, as each field brings its own valuable contributions to society.”
Methodology
The team at Test Prep Insight compiled a list of 56 college degrees in the US and obtained information from Google search data regarding which college degrees were most searched over the last 12 months.
To do this, the team looked at specific keywords and phrases for each college degree that were searched on Google, such as “nursing degree”, “best nursing schools”, “nursing school requirements”, “nursing programs”, etc.
For the top 10 college degrees, the team additionally analyzed in which state the specific degree was most searched, based on the total number of searches for each state for 100,000 people.
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(Source: Google Keyword Planner via Test Prep Insight)
~ Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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