In this article, we’ll highlight the easiest majors to take in college.
Choosing a major is a significant decision that can impact your academic journey and future career path. While some majors are known for their rigorous demands, others can offer students a smoother academic experience.
If you're looking for a major that balances your academic interests with manageable coursework, exploring the easiest college majors can be a good starting point. In this article, we'll highlight the 12 easiest college majors, so you can pursue your academic goals with confidence and ease.
To identify easy college majors that pay well, we considered the acceptance rates, average GPA, attrition rates, and career outlook for each course.
Majors with a higher acceptance rate might suggest less competition or fewer applicants. Also, a high acceptance rate suggests an accessible entry point for students unsure of their career path.
The average GPA usually indicates the level of work done in a major. For example, most science majors tend to have lower-than-average GPAs, while the easier ones have higher GPAs.
This suggests that students in easy programs will perform better academically than those studying the harder coursework.
The attrition rate represents the rate at which students drop out or change majors within a specific program. If a college major has a low attrition rate, it shows that students are successfully progressing through the program with some form of satisfaction.
On the other hand, a high attrition rate may indicate that students encounter challenges, causing them to switch to other programs or drop out of college.
Be sure to consider your ultimate career goal and whether you’ll earn a good return on your investment. These charts give you some idea of the cost/reward of an easy online degree.
We used the career expectations to determine the easiest major. Many difficult majors are associated with strong demand in the job market, higher employment rates, and higher salaries.
On the other hand, a few majors with less favorable career outlooks fall into the easy categories. While career outlook helps to determine the easiest degree to get, consider it alongside acceptance rate, attrition rate, GPA, skills, academic strengths, and quality of the program.
The list speaks about the 12 hardest college majors with relevant statistics.
Average Career Earnings After College: $76,500
Average Mid-Career Earnings: $164,400
Average Unemployment: 4%
Percentage with Graduate Degreess: 40%
Economics studies human choices in a blend of social sciences and mathematical reasoning. It combines macroeconomics, microeconomics, international economies, finance and markets, economic history, and econometrics.
While economics has some aspects of mathematics, the bulk of the work is found in solving word problems involving different economic concepts. For this reason, most economics majors do not participate in advanced math courses.
Average Career Earnings After College: $30,000
Average Mid-Career Earnings: $100,000
Average Unemployment: 2.72%
Percentage with Graduate Degrees: 45%
Religious studies is one of the easiest degrees to get as it involves information that the world is familiar with. The students of this course learn more about world religions from prehistoric to modern times. They also study the effects of religion on cultures and history and vice versa.
Throughout a religious studies degree, you will complete classes such as theological history, different religions, and principles of ministry.
Critical thinking is a soft skill that is useful for any student studying this major. If you are passionate about history and the intersection of history, culture, and religion, religious studies is the easiest course to take.
Average Career Earnings After College: $50,000
Average Mid-Career Earnings: $100,000
Average Unemployment: 4.3%
Percentage with Graduate Degrees: 45.8%
Philosophy major focuses on studying different schools of philosophical thought. Just like religious studies, you look through philosophical discourse from Greek and Roman classical philosophers to modern-day thinkers.
It is one of the easiest for some students due to the absence of hard sciences and math subjects. Students in this major also learn how to confidently argue and defend their stances convincingly.
Average Career Earnings After College: $50,000
Average Mid-Career Earnings: $100,000
Average Unemployment: 7%
Percentage with Graduate Degrees: 73%
If you are a student who loves to read novels, you will excel as a creative writer. Students who love to write short or long books out of inspiration will also find this major very easy.
Creative writing also requires a flair for reading. Students will read and study additional courses like literature, reading and writing fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry.
Average Career Earnings After College: $50,000
Average Mid-Career Earnings: $70,000
Average Unemployment: 4.91%
Percentage with Graduate Degrees: 80%
A history major is a great course of study that employs analytical and methodological skills that are super-transferable in many fields and paths. We consider it easy because you do not have to take math and science courses. However, it is demanding as you will read and write history in large amounts.
Colleges that offer history majors study world events from time immemorial till date. After reading, you also learn to analyze information from the past and relate it to non-history majors fluently.
The study of history is approached differently in different institutions. Some schools concentrate on political history, others on geographical history.
Average Career Earnings After College: $40,000
Average Mid-Career Earnings: $120,000
Average Unemployment: 4.98%
Percentage with Graduate Degrees: 75%
Students with a flair for campaigns and political positions as high school graders will succeed as Political Science majors. Political science majors take courses in government theories, political theory, international law, international relations, and comparative politics.
After learning the basics, you may choose to specialize, such as in concentrations like pre-law, public administration, or international studies. There are no science-related requirements in political science. You only need to read, write, and speak.
Graduates have several job opportunities. They can work in PR, as campaign manager, or become fundraisers. Others build careers in journalism, foreign service, intelligence, and policy making.
Average Career Earnings After College: $50,000
Average Mid-Career Earnings: $100,000
Average Unemployment: 6.26%
Percentage with Graduate Degrees: 69%
Anthropology studies humans, human societies, and human cultures. As a major, you take courses in culture, human origins, environment, and archeology. You only need the basics of mathematics, which makes Anthropology an easy college major that pays well.
Students also learn valuable skills in research, analysis, critical thinking, and professional writing. An anthropology major trains you to become an expert in effective communication and research skills.
Average Career Earnings After College: $54,000
Average Mid-Career Earnings: $70,000
Average Unemployment: 3.49%
Percentage with Graduate Degrees: 75%
Marketing majors involve a study into the art of product development for different brands. You will learn about consumer behavior, using market research statistics to plan long-term gains and create advertising campaigns.
It is an easy major with little technicality. However, you need a good mathematical foundation because data analysis is necessary for success in this field. Classes will also include simple business-based courses.
Upon graduation, you can work in a wide variety of sectors, from advertising and sales to finance and e-commerce. Other top jobs include market research analysis and sales management.
Average Career Earnings After College: $50,000
Average Mid-Career Earnings: $90,000
Average Unemployment: 4.91%
Percentage with Graduate Degrees: 82%
Liberal arts is a general major. That is, it studies a broad number of courses from literature to philosophy. Students must complete courses such as history, literature, foreign language, philosophy, writing, and communication.
Consequently, graduates from this major build careers on different paths. This is one of the easiest yet least chosen majors. Many students stay away because of the uncertainty of future career growth for them.
That has changed, as many companies are today hiring individuals with these basic degrees. Companies often prefer a well-rounded individual, like a liberal arts graduate, whom they can further teach the specifics of the job.
Average Career Earnings After College: $50,000
Average Mid-Career Earnings: $150,000
Average Unemployment: 3.81%
Percentage with Graduate Degrees: 85%
Business administration students take a variety of liberal arts classes before moving on to accounting, microeconomics, marketing, office administration, business ethics, and human resources. They graduate with a well-rounded knowledge of mathematics and the sciences.
Business administration is one of the topmost hirable degrees. A business degree allows you to be a boss in different aspects or to concentrate on a particular field, such as health care, finance, or technology.
Average Career Earnings After College: $50,000
Average Mid-Career Earnings: $90,000
Average Unemployment: 4.01%
Percentage with Graduate Degrees: 70%
A major in criminal justice neither requires mathematical calculations nor intensive reading or writing. And so, it belongs to our list of the easiest college majors. The courses range from constitutional laws and corrections to learning about the U.S. legal system.
People who study criminal justice go for careers in law enforcement and correctional facilities. They become police officers, private detectives, and prison officers.
Average Career Earnings After College: $60,000
Average Mid-Career Earnings: $120,000
Average Unemployment: 4.11%
Percentage with Graduate Degrees: 75%
Communication is an easy degree to get because it is general. In this major, you put your writing and speaking abilities to full use. You will also need to know how to speak to the public confidently.
Your major includes classes in intercultural communication, media writing, public speaking, digital media, and ethics.
After completing this major, you can specialize in marketing, journalism, film production, or PR, providing job opportunities in the fastest-growing jobs like advertising management and marketing management.
Average Career Earnings After College: $60,000
Average Mid-Career Earnings: $130,000
Average Unemployment: 4.66%
Percentage with Graduate Degrees: 75%
Sociology majors focus on issues in social justice, human behavior, and diversity. The course runs for four years in most institutions, during which you complete classes on mass media, social welfare, popular culture, and social change.
You also study human behavior after collecting and observing data. It is an easy course because you will learn more about humans, which you will know a lot about initially. However, you will also read, research, and write a lot.
Criminal justice, anthropology, and communications are the three easiest majors in Ivy League schools. Here are the IVY league schools offering these majors.
Business administration offers jobs ranging from hospitality management to human resources management, with salaries ranging from $50,000 to $90,000. After a long time in a career like the marketing management position, you can earn up to $150,000 a year.
A degree in marketing also opens you to diverse career paths, such as market research analysis, which pays $60,000 annually, and advertising project managers, who earn about $87,000.
A communication degree allows you to earn in every industry, from private companies to non-profits and government organizations. Early salary ranges from $50,000 to $70,000
Before selecting a major, carefully consider each of these factors.
What activities do you enjoy? If you enjoy reading, journalism or creative writing may be the right major. If you love to sell and market your products, pursue a career in marketing. You could consider taking aptitude tests or career assessments in case of uncertainty.
To make a well-informed decision, read around to learn all you can about different fields of study. Look into the required coursework, job prospects, career paths, and market demands. Then, research some successful college graduates in your desired fields and study their journey over the years. Doing thorough research can guide you in choosing the right major by offering insights into the experiences and successes of those who have already navigated the field and helping you understand the challenges and requirements of your chosen major to ensure it’s the perfect fit for you.
Connecting with high school seniors or current college students can be a great way to learn firsthand how they decide which major to pursue. You can also reach out to local professionals who work in your prospective field; they'll be able to share their personal experiences, any challenges they faced, and possible strategies for navigating the decision-making process.
Don't forget to make the most of your college counselors or academic advisors at your high school as well! They can help you explore your interests, pin down your career goals, and point out useful resources that can help you make the right decision.
If you’re still completely at a loss, taking our Choosing What to Study in College quiz can help put you on the right path! It will give you a few personalized recommendations based on your particular interests, strengths, and aspirations!
While earning potential shouldn't be your main goal, it is important in choosing the right major. So, don’t shy away from viewing college as an investment and deciding to study something that will have considerable returns in the future. Keep in mind that the return can be more than financial; it can also include personal development, job satisfaction, and career growth.
To make sure you get the most from your desired major, you’ll want to make sure you also attend a college that will best support your academic and career goals. Consulting an experienced admissions expert can help you do just that! Here’s what Claudine had to say about working with Quad Education:
The easiest major to study in college is relative to each student. Check out the following answers to some frequently asked questions.
Several colleges offer students the opportunity to switch majors easily. However, you must meet certain requirements, such as GPA thresholds or completing prerequisite courses.
No, the difficulty of a major does not always determine earning potential. Some easier majors may lead to career paths with lower average salaries, while a few have above-average salaries. This can depend on job market conditions, individual skills, as well as demand.
Religious studies, communications, sociology, psychology, and liberal arts are some of the easiest and most popular majors. Although they might be easier than majoring in engineering or medicine, you’ll still need to work hard to succeed.
If you want to be successful while minimizing the rigor of majoring in something challenging, choose from this list of the easiest college majors. The majors listed above require less challenging work while offering the highest average GPAs and acceptance rates.
When choosing a major, remember that you can change it, but it’s still important to take time to consider all the factors before making a decision.
