It’s New Jersey’s Most Unusually Popular College Degree | New Jersey

There are over 170 different fields of study tracked by the US Census Bureau in which undergraduates can earn a degree. Despite the wide range of academic subjects offered at colleges and universities, more than half of the 75 million American adults with bachelor’s degrees majored in one of 15 fields of study.

Majors such as business, nursing, teaching, accounting, and biology are each among the most popular with undergraduates — and for good reason. Degrees in these fields prepare students for careers in critical industries such as healthcare, education, and retail, where job opportunities are available in cities and towns across the country. Here is a look at the college majors with the lowest unemployment rate.

Of course, just as these industries are virtually ubiquitous, several others are specific to certain regions of the country. This often reflects a key industry that might be much less common in other parts of the country. In many cases, this is due to the presence of natural resources, such as oil or mineral deposits, or geographical features, such as a coastline. As a result, workers with degrees in less popular or more specialized subjects are often concentrated only in certain fields.

According to US Census Bureau data, the most concentrated degree in New Jersey compared to the entire United States is Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. Adults in the state are about twice as likely to have a degree in the field than the typical American adult. An estimated 0.07% of adults in the state have a degree in naval architecture and marine engineering, compared to 0.04% of adults nationally.

Although the demand for workers with this specific degree appears to be above average in the state, the compensation is not necessarily above average. Adults with a naval architecture and marine engineering degree in New Jersey earn an average of $59,264 per year compared to the average income of all Americans with a degree of $79,502. It is important to note that the average annual earnings include all adults with the degree, even those who work part-time or do not work.

All data in this story comes from the US Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample. College majors are ranked in each state based on their location quotient – ​​the percentage of adults 25 and older in a state with a certain bachelor’s degree compared to the percentage of adults with the same degree nationwide. The college major or field of study with the highest location quotient is considered the most unique college degree in each state.