The College Majors With The Most Depressed Students
Business may rank among the most popular undergraduate majors, but that doesn’t mean it brings happiness to students. According to Newsweek, business clocks in at No. 5 for the highest rates of depression among students in a survey conducted by Degreechoices.
In 2019, Newsweek shared that nearly a third or 29.5% of business students were struggling with depression. Fast forward, and the numbers have gone up some. A good 32.6% of business majors said the same in 2024.
What’s happening here? It’s no secret that mental health among young people in the U.S. is subpar. According to Inside Higher Ed, two in five students reported that their mental health is affecting their ability to focus and perform academically. Experts are saying this could be due to the instability of the economy.
ECONOMY IS DRIVING DEPRESSION
“It is, unfortunately, not very surprising that based on social and economic factors in the U.S. right now, that business majors are showcasing some of the highest rates of depression,” said Alexandra Cromer, a licensed professional counselor with Thriveworks.
It’s not just the instability itself that’s troubling, but also the anxiety that comes along with not knowing how long the instability will persist. This is what Psychotherapist Nicholas Hardy, who runs the Untherapeutic podcast, believes is causing business majors to have higher levels of depression.
“This can influence our social and emotional well-being and create thoughts of doubt and fear when considering ‘what’s next,'” Hardy said.
Couple that with the spike in depression rates that manifested in the after-effects of Covid-19 pandemic, and you have good reason for these numbers to trend upward.
Despite all this, Hardy notes that business remains a popular major due to its versatility and its ability to evolve.
MEDICINE MOST STRESSFUL MAJOR
Who took the No. 1 place as the most stressful major? Students studying in medicine-related fields led the pack. Right behind them were the law, social work, and engineering majors.
While business students ranked fifth in terms of depression, with a 3.1% increase in depression over the past five years, medical students faced a staggering 35.3% rise in depression from 2019 to 2024.
Next Page: What Trump’s inauguration may mean to international students.
