Trying to pick a college major? Computer science graduates have better pay and fewer regrets

Graduates who major in computer and IT sciences are the least likely to regret their field of study and more likely to enter the workforce with high salaries and good career prospects, according to ZipRecruiter.

A survey of 1,500 jobseekers by the jobs site found that 44% of candidates with college degrees regret their college major choice. The happiest graduates are those who majored in computer sciences, whereas those who majored in journalism, sociology and the arts are most likely to regret their choice of college major.

Computer science was also the major that most graduates who regretted their major said they wish they had studied instead (13%), followed by business administration (11%). This is perhaps unsurprising: ZipRecruiter found that computer science graduates were in high demand across most industries and were “securing highly paid jobs” with salaries averaging $100,000, according to data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

SEE: Web developer or CTO: Which tech jobs have the fastest growing salaries?

Little wonder, then, why computer science graduates were least likely to regret their chosen field of study: 72% said they would choose the same major again if they had to do so today, tying with criminology graduates (72%). This was followed by engineering (71%) and nursing (69%). Overall, the most highly paid respondents are much more likely to be happy about their college major choice – which, again, is no huge surprise.

Computer science remains less popular among women, ZipRecruiter found: only 8% of women who regret their majors wish they had studied computer science, compared with 19% of men.

ZipRecruiter’s findings echo the results of a survey by Skynova earlier in 2022, which found that IT professionals were the least likely to wish they had chosen a different career path when quizzed on their top career regrets.

SEE: Career regrets? Here’s what workers wish they’d done differently

Even with the ongoing turmoil at big tech, where companies have been axing staff in response to recession fears, the tech industry remains a good place to be for professionals.

Tech hiring continues to grow despite a wider economic turndown, with data released this week by the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) showing that an additional 92,000 UK tech roles were added over the last quarter.

October’s CompTIA Jobs Report found that US companies also continue to add new tech jobs.