The Easiest & Hardest College Majors

Ever wonder which college majors are considered the easiest? Well, you’re not alone.

Smartypal, a site that outlines some of the best online degrees and college rankings, recently identified sixteen of the easiest majors.

Psychology

Psychology is ranked as the top easiest major. If you enjoy understanding motivations and behavior, a psychology major might be perfect for you. You can specialize in fields from research to clinical practice, enjoying a social work environment. This major equips you with analytical and communication skills but requires extensive research and statistical analysis. Career opportunities are versatile, with a median pay of $49,000 annually. Counselors earn about $45,760, while Chief Human Resources Officers make upwards of $185,950.

English

Ranked 3rd-easiest, an English major is perfect for those who enjoy reading and analyzing literary works, with lots of reading and writing. English majors can pursue diverse careers, from museums to the FBI, though the broad paths can make job focus challenging. Despite the heavy reading load, an English degree opens doors to rewarding careers, with a median salary of $53,000. For instance, secondary school teachers earn around $62,870, while marketing managers can make up to $142,170.

Humanities

Ranked 16th among the easiest majors, Humanities is ideal for those with diverse interests in art, music, literature, history, philosophy, and religion. It develops valuable skills like communication, critical thinking, and analysis, offering flexibility in many industries. On the flip side, this major may require on-the-job training or advanced degrees for certain careers. The annual median salary is $49,000, with Social Workers earning around $51,760 and Human Resource Managers making about $121,220.

How did Smartypal determine which majors were easiest? They looked for high GPAs and considered those majors with the highest GPA as the “easy” majors. This may seem counterintuitive but using data from Cornell, it was determined that higher GPAs actually suggested less time and effort put into the degree – therefore making it “easier.”

Some of the fields with the highest GPAs were Special Education (3.80), Early Childhood Education (3.64), and Professional Development (3.60) – suggesting these are far easier than Chemistry majors for example, with lower average GPAs of 2.78.

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