Data published by USC in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System reveals which degrees have increased and decreased in popularity over the past two decades. While the number of degrees awarded in life sciences, social sciences and arts and humanities has remained proportionally stable at the University, there have been significant increases in the number of engineering and physical science degrees awarded.

According to the data set, degrees in engineering and the physical sciences have gradually made up a greater percentage of the total degrees awarded, increasing from 13% of the graduating class in 2013 to 18% in 2022. The percentages of social science and life science degrees awarded per academic year had minor decreases over the decade, but life sciences was the only field of study that saw a true decrease in the number of degrees awarded, shrinking from 521 degrees in 2013 to 465 degrees in 2022.

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The findings from USC don’t align with national data. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, engineering degrees decreased from 7.7% to 6% of the total undergraduate degrees awarded in the United States, while liberal arts and sciences, general studies, and humanities degrees rose from 39% to 49%. The report from the NCES found that besides liberal arts and sciences, general studies, and humanities, the top six fields of study saw a decrease over the decade.

Lavanya Sharma, a junior majoring in computer science and business administration, said she thinks the migration to engineering and computer science-related degrees at USC is the result of a growing reliance on technology and widely applicable skills. While the popularity of most degrees has held relatively stable over the past decade, the percentage of students graduating with computer science degrees grew from 1.6% in 2013 to 6% in 2022. 

“The reason that engineering and computer science has become so popular is the sheer increase in demand,” Sharma said. “You’ve had all these new industries that were created as a result of computer science and as a result of new technologies emerging. Companies have also really started to realize that they can capitalize off of integrating technology within their company.”

Celine De Villa, a senior majoring in political science, cited technological advancement as a reason degrees in engineering have become more popular and said degrees in social sciences and humanities have become less applicable over time. Social science degrees made up 15% of all degrees awarded in the 2021-22 academic year.

“The biggest reason why a lot of people are not entering humanities or social sciences anymore is because of the lack of use for these degrees,” De Villa said. “Let’s say you have an interest in going to political consultancy. I am also in competition with those who study business instead. So the ability to actually use your humanities degrees in today’s market is really low.”

In the 2018-19 academic year, business, management and multidisciplinary degrees overtook arts and humanities as the most common field of study for the first time in the decade. This trend has continued in subsequent years, with business, management and multidisciplinary degrees comprising 30% of all degrees awarded in the 2021-22 academic year.

Derek Wu, a freshman majoring in physics, said he was originally majoring in East Asian languages and cultures but switched majors to get a more practical degree for his career pursuits.

“In this world, you need something that’s technical … That’s why I switched to physics, just to have a technical background and something that’s applicable in the technology sector,” Wu said.

Sarah Fan, a freshman majoring in communication, said social stigmas about majors — particularly about the arts and humanities — spread through the internet also influence what majors students consider.

“If you’ve ever seen those interviews where people ask people on campus what’s the dumbest major, they usually say communications,” Fan said.

Ezequiel Castaneda, a freshman majoring in music performance, said these social stigmas shape people’s opinion of a degree and lead to common misconceptions. 

“People tell me that it’s not a real degree, and it won’t get you anywhere. [People say] there’s a bunch of struggles and hard work for no financial income,” Castaneda said.

Arts and humanities degrees still remain a popular option for students, as 28% of degrees awarded in the 2021-22 academic year were in this field of study.

Roman Savino, a freshman majoring in economics, said students choosing their majors are highly influenced by economic factors, which may discourage students from choosing particular majors.

“A lot of people would just look at the money you can make after college and that determines your worth or the worth of your degree,” Savino said. “And in reality, a lot of these liberal arts degrees only get you a high-paying job at the highest ranks in the workforce, and those are jobs that are occupied by a small number of people.”

Fan said in some cases, potential financial return is the sole metric students use to decide which degree to pursue.

“I’ve heard conversations where people are genuinely just looking at the average, freshly graduated salaries,” Fan said. “They’re basically basing their majors off of the potential salaries. That’s definitely totally valid because, at the end of the day, you’re trying to get a job and you’re trying to make money.”