Revealed: the 5 best and worst degrees for career prospects – according to students
University students believe that a degree in health science is most likely to lead to strong job prospects after graduation, according to a new study.
Student review company, EDUopinions, analysed 2,500 verified reviews of 515 degree subjects from students, to find out what students believe to be the best – and worst – degrees for job prospects. 84% of the respondents were from the UK and Europe, with the largest proportion (21%) being from the UK.
Students gave health science an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 in terms of career prospects. By combining health study with laboratory experience, health science graduates can diagnose and treat patients, but could also work in research. Computer Science and International Business Management came in second and third respectively.
The study also uncovered the subjects that undergraduates rate lowest for career prospects. Media and cultural studies scored just 2.5 out of 5, followed by European Studies and Psychology. European Studies appears twice in the bottom 5, reflecting the challenge of getting a job with an organisation such as the UN.
Jordi Robert-Ribes, the founder of EDUopinions, comments:
“The pandemic has shone a light on health-related careers, and it’s clear that students are recognising the opportunities that can come from a health science degree. We also see a leaning towards business and technology, driven in part by the demands from employers for digital skills. Data science, for example, can open up numerous doors in machine learning, AI and STEM careers.
“On the flip side, students are telling us that they feel less confident about the career outcomes of media and cultural studies degrees. This may reflect the highly competitive nature of jobs in this field – journalism or advertising, for instance – which may require them to gain more practical work experience.”
Figure 1: Top 5 Degrees for Career Prospects – according to students
| Rank | Subject | Rating for job prospects |
| 1. | Health Science | 4.7/5 |
| 2. | Computer Science | 4.3/5 |
| 3. | International Business Management | 4.2/5 |
| 4. | Marketing | 4/5 |
| 5. | Data Science | 3.9/5 |
Figure 2: Bottom 5 Degrees for Career Prospects – according to students
| Rank | Subject | Rating for job prospects |
| 1. | Media and cultural studies | 2.5/5 |
| 2. | European studies | 2.8/5 |
| 3. | Psychology | 2.9/5 |
| 4. | International Relations and European Studies | 3/5 |
| 5. | Civil Engineering | 3.1/5 |
“A university degree is expensive and time-consuming, and with all that time and effort going into it, you’ll need to know that you’ll get a job out of it,” continues Jordi. “Knowing which are the best degrees for job prospects can help you decide which subjects are worth your time, and which have worse outcomes in the job market. And with any degree, remember to look at your prospective university’s employment data to find out how recent graduates are faring.”
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