The 10 Most Popular College Majors
Wondering which college majors other students are choosing these days? One site has the answers.
Student Choice, a credit union student lending network, just dropped its annual report on the top college majors for 2026. The analysis looks at a whopping 145,456 private student loan applications from 2016 to 2026, giving us a pretty clear picture of how students’ priorities have changed over the past decade.
What we can see is that students are increasingly gravitating toward majors that come with practical skills, clearer career paths, and a stronger sense of return on their investment.
Top 10 Most Popular Majors for 2026:
- Business/Accounting
- Health Sciences
- Engineering
- Aviation
- Psychology
- Math/Science
- Education
- Allied Health Sciences
- Fine Arts
- Law
THE PODIUM: THE TOP THREE MAJORS
Business sits right on the top in the No. 1 spot. This major commanded between 11.45% and 12.81% of applications for most of the past decade, then dipped dramatically in 2025. Business leapt right back to 11.94% in 2026 after accounting and business were merged in the report.
Health sciences comes in at No. 2. Many associate this field with nursing, which was once one of the most popular individual choices, peaking at 10.87% of applications in 2023. However, by 2026, Nursing’s share had actually fallen to just 1.71%. The broader field of Health sciences has emerged as a large category by itself, accounting for 9.81% of applications. This includes allied health, public health, physical therapy, physician assistant studies, dentistry, and pharmacy, which all landed in the top 25.
Engineering is another major on the rise. Its share of applications nearly doubled, climbing from 3.91% in 2017 to 7.37% in 2026. Some of that increase is due to the 2024 merger of several engineering fields in the report, but the broader trend is still significant. Engineering has steadily moved up the rankings as students look toward degrees tied to technical skills and clear career paths.
WHY THESE MAJORS ARE SURGING
Looking closer at the numbers, Student Choice’s Vice President of Growth Marketing, Dustin Limburg, offered some insights to P&Q. He’s spent two decades in the credit union and financial space.
“We continue to see the ROI for highly skilled and service-related professions trending positively for the last several years, and I [see that in] the most recent study,” says Limburg.
As for business students, Limburg says they’re thinking differently than they have been historically – even compared to just five years ago.
“It’s no surprise that the buzz surrounding AI is impacting business degree-seekers – changing not only how students engage with coursework but also giving rise to new career fields and industries,” says Limburg. “AI-related development continues to prove it’s far more than just buzz, though; it’s an enduring force reshaping how students are thinking about the future and applying their highly valuable degrees.”
Limburg also sees something familiar in why students keep choosing business and accounting. “Students today seem drawn to business and accounting programs that offer concrete, in-demand skills and a clear path into a competitive job market,” he says. “I suspect many also see these degrees as a launchpad for their own entrepreneurial ambitions nurtured in an increasingly online and social economy – a way to build a practical foundation needed to start something of their own.”
Next Page: The Numbers Behind the Workplace Trust Gap
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