If you’re a rational person, chances are you want to be successful in life. While what that means varies from person-to-person, no one can deny that financial security plays a big role in it. In a world of growing inflation rates and student loan debt, the need to pursue a degree that secures this type of future is greater than it ever has been before.
Before I came to college, financial security was what I considered when choosing what I wanted to study. To help me with my decision, I consulted a variety of sources from YouTube videos to loved ones, but there was one message that had a profound effect on me. In my research, I kept stumbling upon a particular concept: “useless degrees,” or degrees which aren’t considered profitable in the long run. At the time, I steered clear of any major that fell into this category as I wanted to be “successful.”
Low and behold, the one I ended up going with happened to be on every single one of those lists I came across — psychology. However, it turned out that this choice wasn’t as pointless as some sources made it out to be, and really, we should stop pushing the notion that some degrees have no use at all.
For one, calling a degree “useless” or ranking it among the “worst” insinuates that these degrees aren’t even worth considering, much less spending thousands of dollars on. This type of language perpetuates the idea that some degrees are inherently better than others. Not only does this stigmatize certain majors, but it also pushes students away from exploring other avenues.
In addition, these lists often assess a degree’s value solely in terms of the type of salary and professional opportunities one can expect to gain from in the long run. To be fair, it’s hard to say no to a higher level of these things, and these are important aspects to consider if you want to have a stable economic life. However, when we choose passion over material assets, we’re more likely to find satisfaction in what we do.
In one study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, Health and Well-Being, researchers examined how passion affects overall psychological outcomes. Unsurprisingly, they found that passion for an activity was associated with greater well-being, whereas a lack of passion or an obsessive passion doesn’t contribute to well-being. This is likely because doing what we love gives us a purpose in life, which allows us to feel fulfilled and good about ourselves.
For these reasons, you should never be ashamed of choosing a degree that isn’t considered useful if that is what you love and enjoy. If anything, going after something you’re passionate about is commendable, as not everyone has reached that point in their lives yet.
Furthermore, a degree is never really useless. Knowledge is valuable for its own sake, and anything which helps you develop a deeper understanding of the world will always be beneficial. Moreover, many of the degrees that get named on these lists open the door to other opportunities and pathways. For instance, psychology majors can pursue higher education such as law school or other graduate programs, or even a career not associated with psychology at all.
Education should be accessible, and even though it isn’t right now, there are ways for lower-income students to chase their dreams. NC State offers various financial aid resources to help students manage the cost of their education. One notable resource is PackASISST, the one-stop-shop scholarship application portal open to all students on campus.
Sure, college is an expensive investment, and some degrees have more bang for their buck. However, if you’re passionate about what you’re studying and you have the means to do it, then you’re making every penny count. At the end of the day, only you can determine whether or not your degree is worth it.
