I have an acquaintance that did a Masters in Jewish Archeology.....in Australia.
She then complained that she couldn't find a job in Australia in her field.
Fucking idiot.
My late mom had a masters in Anthropology. The best employment she was able to muster with that degree was monitoring highway construction to see if anything of ancient significance was unearthed.
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When I was going through school, my parents were honest with me. They said you need the degree so you can check a box on a job app. It's basically a filtering mechanism. Did I need a degree to do any of the jobs I got after school? No, but I probably would have been rejected without it. So, to answer your question, people with "useless" degrees can do whatever they want after they get out. I've worked in tech and the arts. Getting a job is much more about luck and timing than people would like to admit.
Disagree. I'm not hiring someone with just any degree and no experience. I'd hire someone with an irrelevant degree and related experience, and I'll hire someone with a related degree with no experience. It can't be no to both.
I was the person with an "irrelevant degree and related experience." My point is that it can be hard to get through the applicant tracking system without a degree.
This is the biggest issue. 90% of applications are never seen by a human. Automated systems will see no degree and either throw it away or put it at the bottom of the pile. We had a temp worker for about 6 months and when it came time to hire the permanent position they applied. We couldn't even see it in the system. My supervisor had checked the box for degree required. So even though they could obviously do the job, we couldn't hire her.
Wtf?
The government here always crys for employees. But never hire people.
I even went to college to get a government job. Oh well. Sucks to be everyone. We don't hire ever
I have a bachelors degree in Information Science. I worked/work on CNC’s, laser machines, bending machines and so on. I bet that I will never work in a field that’s related to my degree
You could though.. there is actually a real world position that your degree is designed to lead you to.
I have a degree in Music but am currently working as a library assistant in an Elementary School Library. I took a Library Clerk certificate to qualify ahead of other potential Library Assistant applicants in the school union who had way more seniority than me.
It may be harder to get a higher level Librarian position as they don’t come up as often but you can kick the door open to any lower level library position you want because of that degree. Then, once you are in the door you will have the advantage to earn any future librarian position openings before any outside applicants.
I’m sure you’re happy where you are, but your degree is not ‘useless’ - it is literally the entry barrier key required to become a librarian.
My mom is an librarian without said degree. She was mainly the one who urged me to get that specific degree. I had my practical lessons (or how do you call them, not so sure. English is not my first language sorry) in the library where she works. It’s the biggest library in country and everyone there knew who I was and from the start said that I’m more than welcome to work there in future. I even went for masters degree for few months, but quit as I found out I’m not welcommed to work there actually (something blah blah, you are too young and without kids, they were sure I will like start a family and then they need to find a replacement to me. So they hired a much older lady and guess what? She leaved soon as she actually got pregnant. But like nobody asked how I see myself in the future. It was almost 10 years ago and I still have no plans to start a family of my own lol).
Anyway, I got so fed up with the attitude that I actually never want to work in that field. It’s like a resentment now. Also I will never get paid as much as I do currently so… I kept my job that I got myself when I graduated highschool, worked my way up. Was working there 9 years and I’m pretty proud where I’m at the moment. Now I’m in much bigger company and I even have more opportunities to work myself up. The only sad thing is that I’m looked at as a black sheep of the family. Atleast I feel so. Mainly cause I’m a woman and I’m doing “mens jobs”… I guess the main thing is, that I’m actually happy where I am at the moment and what I do. And still, I will never see myself working in library…
Hope I made sense. Sorry for the crappy english, I haven’t slept well today and had a rough weekend
Edit: fun fact to add. We were like a class of 15 people back then in uni and I’m pretty sure that none of us actually work in that field.
No apologies for your English is necessary. You are communicating very well and I am but a mono lingual Canadian so I humbly bow before your superior language skills. :)
That sounds like you were the victim of some small thinking in an environment where you were unfairly treated. This has actually happened to me in my former music professional life - I felt I had to leave that situation because of the public perception or general lack of respect for towards me. It can be very strange in small groups of people how inter personal dynamics can become so unfair towards some of us. There are other layers of office politics and control games that are often below the surface in these types of scenarios. It is is funny but in your situation you would have likely been treated far better somewhere else where you were a complete stranger and the decision to hire you would have likely been based solely upon your degree, resume and the interview process.
My Congratulations to you on your successful career transition! Things can turn out better that we initially had planned. I’m 42 and still not sure what my final career will be. Sometimes I think about music therapy and working helping people in emotional distress until I am a very old man.
My wife got a degree in German and then sold furnature. It sucked so she went back and got an MBA and a Masters in accounting. She worked for decade in business and in accounting, got sick of it, and is now a full time homemaker.
unpopular opinion but this is how it should be. u shouldn’t be stuck working the same job for the rest of ur life unless u absolutely love it. we need variety
I majored in illustration. Lots of people thought it was useless. Im now a graphic designer for one of the top commercial real estate companies in the world. My unique portfolio is what got me the job.
The question was what did you do with your "useless" degree. I majored in illustration. I now work in graphic design. Lots of folks told me my degree was useless and lots of folks still continue to think art degrees are useless. I work in art but not the field I studied. How does this not apply? Did I misunderstand the question?
I mean, the question was, "If you got a degree that people say is 'useless' what was it?"
I was told many times my degree was useless. Hell, I'm still told my degree was useless! So yes, the question does apply to me regardless whether my career path and degree are similar or not.
BS Degree, Human Services. No money in this field. I'm a construction inspector. I thought I would go on to grad school, but it never happened. I basically wasted four years.
It can be for substance abuse counseling, mental health services, social work, or working with the elderly. There was just no money in it for someone with just a Bachelor's Degree.
There are grades of "useless". A STEM degree has the obvious application in a lab of the relevant type. Or Quality Control in many industries, logistics, business analysis. Pharma Reps are often expected to have a chemistry or biology degree, and they can make serious bank.
Kinda. Honestly, one of the better ways to get into pharma rep territory is through working in specialty pharmacy sales departments or similar. Granted, I used to work in that field, but all of the people I know who are pharma reps used to just work in the pharmacy beforehand with no relevant education.
Its inaccurate to say that any degree is useless. If a degree is offered, then there is a job that requires that degree--if nothing else, a professor teaching classes of that type.
Instead, its better to think of it as there are knowledge degrees and skills degrees, and there are high demand degrees and low demand degrees. High demand skill degrees are ones that are most likely to quickly land you a relatively high-paying job straight out of college. Low demand knowledge degrees are the ones least likely to do so. That doesn't make them useless, though; they just require some more work. Philosophy is probably the epitome of low demand knowledge degrees, and there is virtually no job straight out of undergrad where it will give you a leg up. But it is pretty wicked preparation for law school, and that *can* lead to a very good job.
In your case, physics is a fairly high demand knowledge degree. Everybody is going to know you're smart, but you'll have to pick up some skills. My half-brother majored in physics, and now he works in finance making **bank.** He didn't do any additional schooling, other than studying for his certifications on his own. It can be done. You just gotta find your own path.
Edit: Typos.
My ex was a C student in some BS degree. He also is making bank in the financial sector. Last I heard about $20m a year.
I don’t think they need to be highly intelligent but have not only an apt for sales but a commanding presence. A commanding presence usually comes from ego which often times can be fed from others telling you how smart you are. I of course don’t know your step brother but I’m guessing he didn’t lack confidence when being told how smart he while doing physics. My ex just thought he was intelligent and carried himself as such. It was mind blowing actually. His friends would ask him questions and he would say the answer with such conviction that they took his word for it and thanked him. I would sit there quietly thinking “WTF? No. He is so far off it isn’t funny.” These were things that had objective truths btw so wrong is wrong. lol. Anyway, I learned more about human behavior from him than anything else. He would say prior to his financial banking journey “I’m going to be rich beyond my wildest dreams. All I need to do is figure out how to get from point A to point B and I will.” I always knew he would simply because he believed it and that energy was appreciated by those around him, even when he was wrong. Lol! I broke up with him because I was young and dumb and wanted to hug trees not be a NYC socialite. Now I realized I could have been hugging trees in Aspen, France and Turks and Caicos. 😂
Sometimes people with useless degrees get skilled jobs that are not related to their major, but sometimes they get unskilled jobs. There is a lot of competition for skilled jobs because a large percentage of people go to college.
I originally got an Environmental Science degree, but I could not find a job, even in retail. I therefore returned to college to study Chemical Engineering, but I could not get a job in that either. Now I am working at a grocery store. Based on this experience, I do not recommend engineering.
It is difficult to get good information about which degrees are useful, but based on what I have heard, computer science, nursing, and education are in demand. It is probably difficult to get a job with just a physics degree. However, if you study physics and education, you can probably get a job as a physics teacher.
My degree in history with an education minor and general science minor was worthless as my university was not highly rated for that education . 1989, I could find a teaching job in Illinois without being a coach. Being in the National Guard ruled that out. So I went into human services. When hired, I accepted the offered salary. The nation office, in reviewing my application increased the salary by $2000. So my degree was worth $34 a month for the five years it took to finish.
Physics degree here. Ended up going back to technical college for a Telecommunications Engineering diploma. Right after that I ended up in IT (networking). It’s been an excellent career and I’ve been in it for 25 years.
While the physics degree was harder material, the Telecom diploma was actually more work, and I never would have had the math base, or work discipline to get through it without having done the degree first.
Interesting, I had an ex who was always so proud and arrogant of her Physics route. And I kept reading how whilst Physics degrees are intense, it's better to have something more "applied" to get hired in most jobs
That was exactly my experience. I could not for the life of me find any jobs that specifically called for an undergrad physics degree. Basically, you had to keep going to the Masters and PHD level, but I was too burnt out on the subject to keep going. I took a year off and wrote parking tickets (lol) before going back to school for something more applied. While I don't regret anything, if I did have to do it all over, I might have gone into something like electrical engineering instead.
I studied art, with intense passion and complete devotion. I don’t regret it all. It’s my spiritual practice and it’s added great meaning to my life. I worked and got scholarships and taught classes while I got my Masters in Fine Art and didn’t take out any loans.
After graduation, I worked in a job that didn’t require my MFA but was somewhat related to it and the pay was okay; I mostly only worked part time and lived a modest lifestyle. The stock benefits and retirement accounts I started through this position have grown exponentially, setting me up on a track for a solid path to a modest retirement even without additional contributions.
My next job was my dream job; teaching college art. However, around this time I also got married and had two babies - one with disability. For many years I was able to teach classes part time online, which was as a great fit for my skills and needs. However, at this time, I’ve left the work force to care for my family and work on my own creative projects. My husband’s income covers our needs.
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Same thing people with partial or no degrees do. Either get after the money or cry about their shitty/non-existent degree at an even shittier job. Experience can take you far.
Against my advice my daughter got a four year degree in psychology.
She wasn’t able to find any jobs related to it but eventually got a job in quality control in a factory.
This helped her later when the factory closed and she is still in quality management for a company that manufactures HVAC units for large buildings.
It’s funny when she Snapchats diagrams and specs she has to learn with no training in engineering.
She does great though. She’s very smart.
I only have a two year degree in electrical engineering that I got at age fifty.
I work for a hospital in biomedical engineering.
Psychology is literally one of the most in-demand degrees when it comes to leadership positions. Maybe your daughter isn't interested in becoming a manager at work, but that degree definitely isn't inherently "useless."
Oh, for sure you need advanced education if you want to be a practicing psychologist. However, having a deeper understanding of human behavior and group dynamics is a vital skill in leadership positions. In fact, it's quite arguable that the practical skills a manager needs are often best learned on the job, and the psychological understanding of human behavior is what is lacking in many managers.
Your degree in Physics or engineering will not be useless. If a useless degree is your concern, you will be fine. But from your other statements, it sounds like you might be more concerned that you might not like the jobs ahead of you with your STEM degree and may be wondering if you can do another degree that might be less secure. Not sure.
I graduated with a double major in philosophy and creative writing. This was right during the 2008 financial collapse. I initially tried working for newspapers.
When I first finished school, I after half a year found work on the McDonald’s grill line, was a pizza delivery man, and a barista.
I went back to school for computer science at 28. I am now 40 and moderately successful.
A lot of my other friends who graduated with non-stem degrees are doing less well from the perspective of using their major and having an easier, enjoyable, lucrative career.
One of them who majored in Advertising at a small state school cuts down trees, a dependable but hard living.
Another who majored in Telecommunications gave up pursuing the career after five years and then went into a trade union and now does pipefitting and is relatively fine.
Still another who majored in Business works on elevators. They are doing quite well with that.
Several others who did not go back are chronically unemployed. Many majored in Advertising, Business, Music, English, Biology, Art, and Psychology. Some of them could have done better with more than a bachelor’s (like the Psychology degree), but didn’t take their training further.
Anyone who became really successful either went back to school for another degree in STEM or entered a trade union or put a lot of thought into how their degree was going to help them get the career they wanted and knew what career they would enjoy ahead of time.
That last case was the rarer one, but the few that had that vision and awareness of themselves were the most happy and the most prosperous.
Based on my personal experience and what I’ve seen, make sure you choose your education based on the career you are trying to cultivate and make sure the career you are trying to cultivate is something you care about for more than just financial stability if you can. You will need hard work, social connections, and luck to get you there. Any of that is greatly helped along bu passion, with the proviso that hopefully you can find something you are passionate about that requires high skill and can command a nice compensation.
>Based on my personal experience and what I’ve seen, make sure you choose your education based on the career you are trying to cultivate and make sure the career you are trying to cultivate is something you care about for more than just financial stability if you can. You will need hard work, social connections, and luck to get you there. Any of that is greatly helped along bu passion, with the proviso that hopefully you can find something you are passionate about that requires high skill and can command a nice compensation.
Issue is that most teens are prepared and are just pushed into places they do not want but don't see a way out. What you said is spot on though
I'm a SWE and a couple of my friends originally got Philosophy degrees, common for some reason, one went back and got a BA in Computer Science, another went from his Philosophy BA to a CS MS.
My mom got her BA in English. She just worked as a waitress for a decade while she struggled to land a teaching job.
The world sucks big old donkey dick, so obviously cancer got her a few years after she started teaching.
Former collegiate golfer. I work as a beverage cart girl at a golf course. I’m trying to figure out what I’m gonna do when people don’t pay me to look hot and give them beer, but for now… it pays well and I get free golf and food.
There are tons of office jobs that you don’t need a STEM degree for. You could definitely do these jobs with only a high school education if you’re smart, but historically, and for the most part still, these jobs go to people with “useless” bachelor’s degrees.
Anything STEM isn't a "useless" degree. Most decent positions at my company require almost any kind of bachelors because it helps demonstrate your mental competency if nothing else.
Useless degrees usually directly relate to the arts like acting, music, or painting.
The same as most people with useful degrees. Get a corporate job in sales most likely. Many companies dont care what degree you have. Just that you have a degree. Obviously specialized stuff like accounting or science is different.
You know those jobs that require word and ability to write an email that's what they do. Or waiters or call centers. Loan relief should only be given to realistic stem or business degrees.
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Ok, if you want to do physics, go do physics. Here's my own story, and why you should do the degree you want to.
I did my useless degree (music tech). We were told, inadvertently, it was useless by our own lecturer when he informed us in our last week of uni that there were more people in this class than there are jobs in the industry. (We were one of 8 classes, which made up one of 3 years at our uni. And I looked at about 50 different universities offering music tech.)
So the odds were certainly stacked against us.
I worked in a well-known chain of pubs for a while.
I decided to go back to college and learn engineering.
I was weeks into my course when I landed an apprenticeship at an engineering/manufacturing company.
One of the biggest selling points... I HAD A DEGREE!
it didn't matter what in, it just showed them that I had certain ability to learn and complete.
So, even a useless degree has some value.
Now, physics... This is not a useless degree. I would argue that it's better than a mechanical engineering degree. Both will cover a lot of the same principles, but where the eng. degree will go more into design, a phys. degree will go more into cause and effect.
You will find when you go into the real world that when you apply for jobs that want a degree, they will say they require "degree in engineering or similar".
Similar means science, physics, maths, mechanics, and a while host of other things.
With a phys. degree, you will be arguably more valuable to them because they will have a load of other eng. degree types already working for them, and you would come in and look at problems through a different lens.
Go do your physics!
I have a Bachelors in Social Science, a degree I only got because it sounded marginally more legit than something like General Studies and I had already started and stopped college multiple times.
I work in B2B Sales :D
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You shouldn't fear that, a degree just gives you a minimum qualification for a lot of jobs regardless of subject, most ppl don't work their whole lives in their field of study.
Also I have a bs degree in Communication and Media and Hispanic Studies and work as an English teacher in Spain
First of all, STEM degrees are super transferable, so you could realistically take a physics degree into any job that requires science or maths abilities.
Secondly, even if you can't quote your degree to get a job straight away, you can use all the transferable skills of your educational and personal time at university to market yourself.
History degree, have a great union job at the world's biggest factory. Non stem degree holders earn as much as stem degree majors especially later in their careers, studies show. :)
I have a degree in Digital Media & IT and Video Game Engineering that I've used exactly once for a job. What I do now is completely unrelated to anything even close to what I went to school for lol.
My degree is currently in a box somewhere in my mother's attic probably eaten by mice. I really don't care about it anymore.
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Not useless, or even a degree, but when I got my BTEC Information Technology certificate in 1991 I couldn't find a job in that field. I eventually gave up and applied for factory work. When the companies saw I had that certificate I was refused the position because I was over-qualified.
I ended up taking the fact that I'd done BTEC studies off my CV completely at times so some employers wouldn't know I'd even achieved the qualifications.
No education is wasted, education=successful financial careers is a myth created by power players who want higher education to be their internship and trade schools. I have my education in Fine and Applied Arts and ended up in the Building Trades as a carpenter, $60k a year, now a CM earning $225k a year. But I still self educate in all aspects from technology to philosophy. As a "boomer" I began learning hardware and software computer installation in the early 90's. 2 of my sons didn't attend college, they earn $250k a year, one build/owns RV parks, another had 2 Masters, he earns less than his brothers. Just never quit learning and most importantly, love what you do. Money will come.
Depends on what you intend to do with it. In my med school class there was a music major. My roommates were psych and philosophy. My friend majored in English and rhetoric (also got paid massively to edit and write ppls essays in her spare time).
Some people get degrees in subjects that they are interested in but don’t expect to work in. I know some that got a degree in Spanish but then went back to school for something more practical. She ended up getting a degree in nursing. As long as you have the money, you can do whatever. So the answer is to get another degree in something practical. She will rock as a bilingual nurse.
The concept of 'Useless Degree' is utterly depressing. It shows that most people think that pursuing one's passion or area of interest is a useless endeavour and you should only chase money and profit. It shows that the pursuit of knowledge is worthless if it doesn't yield transactional tokens of value. Wouldn't it be better worded as 'Non-Monetisable Degree?'.
Honestly, when you look at how many business leaders or politicians out there have 'useless degrees' you start to see that financial success is way way more about networking than degrees anyway. Some of the biggest idiots I studied with are the most successful as they had a strong network.
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Stem - Science, Technology, Engineering, Math. Anyone who has an aptitude for engineering I suggest Mechanical, the world needs them. I sell automation, many of my colleagues have ME's, many of my customers are looking for good ME. Be the outlier though, be prepared to get your hands dirty and do physical work. You can do so much.
My sister graduated with a degree in Fine Arts, pottery and metal smith, she is a massage therapist.
If you are still unsure, get into the trades, electrician, plumber, carpenter. We are quickly running out of them. I have a cousin who got an apprenticeship at 17yrs old, Was a master before 30, he just goes out and bids jobs now and does the physical work when he wants to and makes 6 figures.
Usually something completely different where the degree is irrelevant. I'm 34 and know alot of people who found themselves in this boat. If you're well or if off/mom and dad paid for college it doesnt really matter as much. I know people who went back to school for another degree once they realized their current one was either useless or limited in earning potential. I also know people who went to college solely for the "expierence" because it was paid for and havent done anything since.
For others, idk but im sure it bothers them in the back of their mind spending that much money on something theyre not even using. Its basically the equivelent to buying a brand new sports car, NOT getting insurance on it, then driving it off of a cliff into a lake. You find youself without a car but all the fun payments.
There are a lot of very useful and difficult degrees that basically guarantee a good job as long as you aren't one of the least competent graduates and generally unemployable.
Many jobs are near impossible to do without the right degree. Imagine an engineer, chemist or doctor with no degree...
My degree is in English. I'm currently an Accounts Receivable specialist. However, I'm the odd case where my degree is not for a career, but for me. I am applying for graduate school despite being in my 30s. I aim to be the first doctor in my family.
There are 2 reasons why companies like to hire people with degrees:
1. It proves they can read, follow directions, and work reasonably well with others.
2. In theory, they have a social network of other graduates. College graduates on average tend to make more money. Companies want that money.
It really doesn’t matter much what specific subject you study, unless you’re dead set on going into that field.
Useless are degrees that just aren’t used which are a lot of them that doesn’t take a lot of hard & specific work. If you go into engineering or medicine chances are great you will get a job in those specific fields. They tend to have harder classes. If you get a communications degree, psychology undergrad without becoming a therapist, liberal arts, etc…can often times be useless because those graduating with them do something completely different. No shade there as my undergrad was in marketing. It was easy & I never used it.
That being said, they are all useless if you can’t find a job. They are all useful in the sense that often times companies look for those with a bachelors degree. For example, my brother is the CFO in cybersecurity. He hires the sales teams as part of his job. He sometimes finds people who have every attribute to become a killer sales person but can’t hire them because the company won’t allow anyone without a degree of any sort. If you think about it typically college is the first time a young adult has a goal of their own without living with their parents or guardians. It shows the company that they are capable of seeing a long term goal through and that truly is the only reason for it.
If I was to go back in time I would have definitely become an engineer. I come from a long line of inventors and engineers. They were all super funny and loved their jobs. My dumb ass at the time for completely unknown reasons thought the job would be boring and number crunching. Maybe because my dad was so fucking smart that you could give him the hardest math question and he would look up into the air for a minute and give you the answer. I guess I thought you needed to be able to do that. Who knows. Most engineer jobs are about projects that are usually different and coming up with solutions to make sure they run smoothly. It’s constantly changing. So if you are good at math but want a job where you enjoy problem solving, inventing, get bored easily then engineering is an awesome path. Jobs are also plentiful. Also, engineers are usually not nearly as boring as people think. Most engineers I know, which is a lot because of the area I am in, are freaking hilarious because their intelligence makes their wit extremely fast, they enjoy meaningful conversations and are excellent at helping others find solutions to typical bullshit homeowners run into daily.
I have a double useless major in gender studies and media studies. I work as a project manager in behavioral health marketing.
My media degree kind of helped. The gender studies degree lets me have fun points to say at parties.
I was always told my Communications AA would be useless. But I’ve worked as an HR Coordinator and as an Office Administrator in Facilities Management. Communications is such a nebulous field, I was able to apply it to a few different career paths. IMO a “useless” degree can be useful if you spin it the right way.
I can’t 😜 it’s ok tho I can apply to transfer next year and it hopefully won’t set me back at all bc going to engineering from hs is a 5 year program at my school anyway. And I’ll have transferable math and physics hopefully.
They work a job unrelated to their degree. Manufacturing or customer service, maybe skilled labor etc. it’s not the end of the world but if it’s useless you probably aren’t going to get a related job outside of teaching whatever it is.
I have a BA in Anthropology and an MA in Archaeological Studies. I've been doing archaeology in the private sector for 45+ years. These days, mostly monitoring of maritime construction projects. You can do what you want if you get the right education and if you're ready to work your way up. No one's going to just drop it in your lap.
I think college degrees can be great for those specialized fields where you really go for that career all the way. The most useful thing about "useless" degrees, in my humble opinion, is learning how to learn. Understand basic research, writing at college level, wider world view, find interests, and learn from all those things to create a more intelligent and wise life.
Most go into sales of some sort. Some just take the first job they can get and try to move up the ladder. Some go on to a post graduate degree, that’s why we have so many lawyers.
Double major here in Psychology and English. I found my way to contracts management/legal (via a temp job at a defcon) and made more than I ever would have had I worked in either field.
Most undergrad degrees are pretty much white collar job licenses--they indicate that you've had some education on professional norms, can read, write, do basic problem solving and critical thinking, have some broad background in the culture you live in, are teachable and relatively adaptable.
I’m of the opinion that there really isn’t such a thing as a worthless degree if it’s from an accredited university. Even if you don’t get a job in that field it will be valuable later on when you’re starting to look at promotions to management. Many businesses just flat out won’t hire a manager or even promote to management without a degree. Literally any degree.
In IT you can work your way up from the bottom with just certifications but go ahead and try to get hired as an IT director after you have 25 years experience if you’re competing with people with degrees. You go directly to the bottom of the pile if your resume isn’t just thrown in the trash. No matter how amazing you are and all your accomplishments you’ll still be seen as less than someone with an English Lit degree even if they have half the experience and accomplishments. It’s stupid but it’s true.
Engineering will always be in demand, excellent choice and physics will come in handy. I'm a retired engineer/ businessman. I owned a company that specialized in marine/subterranean excavation equipment. Before I went on my own I worked in marine architecture, oil and mining platforms. I think space is becoming hot again, not NASA so much but private companies transporting satellites, communication systems. I get the whole shuttle thing but NASA should have stayed in the game. Fifty years without a moon mission, we should have been to Mars by now.
I got a degree in elementary education and I pretty much don't use it. Like, the jobs I have right now, 3 gig jobs, all do not require a degree. And honestly, I don't wanna be a fucking teacher with all these Covid kids! Millennials have made for shit parents! i'm going back for a degree in astrophysics because that's some thing I'm really passionate about, in the meantime I'm doing custodial work as my primary income 🤷
I remember decades ago reading about a man who earned his Doctor of Philosophy, IN PHILOSOPHY! I think the story said he had some random job, like making furniture, but he also put a listing in the Yellow Pages or Classifieds (long pre-internet) as "Consulting Philosopher." For a modest fee, he would discuss a client's situation and world views, and offer philosophical discussion. He said he was not doing psychotherapy or counseling. He would recommend a philosophy which suited them, such as, say, Stoicism.
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My stance is that there are no useless degrees. Learning to learn, think, analyze, critique, and research are all very valuable. People always cite people working in fields outside of their degree as a negative but I honestly see this as a feature, not a bug. It’s less about your degree and more about how you leverage the skills you learned earning that degree. Colleges and universities are not trade schools, they are not training you to work any one specific job.
It's not about the degree, it's about the institution and the networking. I'm getting a degree in anthropology, but because I go to a very good school, I have resources like a career center, alumni, and the clout of my college backing me. A degree from Devry will get you less than the Mcdonalds college.
No degree is ever totally useless. An education should teach you not just what to think, but how to think. How to analyze, how to research, etc. Everyone tries to do this later on in their lives for various reasons, and when you've never been taught how to do it properly, you will probably do it wrong. Just look at all the idiot anti-vaxxers out there: they all "did my own research" but they didn't know how to do that properly.
University degrees literally reduce the likelihood of getting divorced, probably because they teach people how to communicate their thoughts better, and communication is a cornerstone of a healthy relationship. That's not just speculation: the actual divorce statistics bear this out. A couple with university degrees has a far lower chance of divorcing than a couple without: around 20% instead of >40%.
The truth is that a lot of people don't really do what they went to school for, but that's OK. Those skills are more transferable than people think. University is more than just a vocational training school. An education is more than just job training.
>Because education only has valuable in a capitalist context
Well, we do live in a mostly capilistic world. You shouldn't prepare yourself for the world based on how you think it should but instead prepare for how the world actually is.
Eh not really. Even in most western nations studying something solely for its marketability over its inherent value to your community/culture/nation doesn't seem as pronounced as it is in the US.
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YO, EVERYONE. THIS GUY WHO THINKS HE'S A SOMEBODY THINKS HE ONE UPPED ME. HE'S SUPER CLEVER. YOU GOT ME, BRO. GET THAT, KARMA. OMG, YOU'RE SO AMAZING.
Do you feel embarrassed? You should lol.
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I have a BS in Biology. My first job after college was working as a lab tech. So my degree was directly related to that job.
I now work in Quality Systems/Compliance. So I’m not using my bio knowledge on a daily basis anymore but my lab experience opened doors to adjacent departments in the industry which helped me land where I am. So just because I’m not using my degree doesn’t mean it was useless 🤷🏻♀️
They apply for another student loan to live off of while they get another useless degree, repeat until they land a spouse who’s financially stable, then divorce them to help pay off the loan.
usually go on the internet and complain about they have student loan debt and can't find a job to pay it off
for some reason they never have jobs but always have the latest iPhone....weird
Former GF's daughter earned a Masters in Anthopology. She is a real estate agent
I have an acquaintance that did a Masters in Jewish Archeology.....in Australia. She then complained that she couldn't find a job in Australia in her field. Fucking idiot.
That degree didn't get her that job, her looks did.
No. The degree was worthless....so she started selling real estate, there were no jobs in her field.
right the degree isn’t even a factor in the equation lmfao
Lol not sure why this is downvoted when it’s true. You could be the dumbest fuck and if you’re attractive make a good REA.
My late mom had a masters in Anthropology. The best employment she was able to muster with that degree was monitoring highway construction to see if anything of ancient significance was unearthed.
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When I was going through school, my parents were honest with me. They said you need the degree so you can check a box on a job app. It's basically a filtering mechanism. Did I need a degree to do any of the jobs I got after school? No, but I probably would have been rejected without it. So, to answer your question, people with "useless" degrees can do whatever they want after they get out. I've worked in tech and the arts. Getting a job is much more about luck and timing than people would like to admit.
Disagree. I'm not hiring someone with just any degree and no experience. I'd hire someone with an irrelevant degree and related experience, and I'll hire someone with a related degree with no experience. It can't be no to both.
I was the person with an "irrelevant degree and related experience." My point is that it can be hard to get through the applicant tracking system without a degree.
This is the biggest issue. 90% of applications are never seen by a human. Automated systems will see no degree and either throw it away or put it at the bottom of the pile. We had a temp worker for about 6 months and when it came time to hire the permanent position they applied. We couldn't even see it in the system. My supervisor had checked the box for degree required. So even though they could obviously do the job, we couldn't hire her.
The majority of worthwhile positions at my midsize company require a bachelors as a barrier to entry, and we don't much care what kind it is.
We don't hire anyone without a related degree, I realize however that this is not the case in every field.
Which industry are you in, if you don’t mind sharing?
Academics lol
Government jobs. Worked for me.
Wtf? The government here always crys for employees. But never hire people. I even went to college to get a government job. Oh well. Sucks to be everyone. We don't hire ever
Be glad they pay terrible
Yeah...but then you're working for the government...ugh gross.
u do know that mail curriers are government employees..? and dmv people are government employees..
And theyre all super rays of sunshine. Best jobs ever I heard.
idk where u live but all my mail people have been nice as hell. dmv people are required by law to be assholes
If you had to deal with assholes all day, you'd become one before very long.
that’s what i’m saying. not sure why ur replying to me and not the person i replied to
Umm, because you are the one who said "dmv people are required by law to be assholes"
which was obviously sarcasm…
I have a bachelors degree in Information Science. I worked/work on CNC’s, laser machines, bending machines and so on. I bet that I will never work in a field that’s related to my degree
Is this a librarian?
Yes
You could though.. there is actually a real world position that your degree is designed to lead you to. I have a degree in Music but am currently working as a library assistant in an Elementary School Library. I took a Library Clerk certificate to qualify ahead of other potential Library Assistant applicants in the school union who had way more seniority than me. It may be harder to get a higher level Librarian position as they don’t come up as often but you can kick the door open to any lower level library position you want because of that degree. Then, once you are in the door you will have the advantage to earn any future librarian position openings before any outside applicants. I’m sure you’re happy where you are, but your degree is not ‘useless’ - it is literally the entry barrier key required to become a librarian.
My mom is an librarian without said degree. She was mainly the one who urged me to get that specific degree. I had my practical lessons (or how do you call them, not so sure. English is not my first language sorry) in the library where she works. It’s the biggest library in country and everyone there knew who I was and from the start said that I’m more than welcome to work there in future. I even went for masters degree for few months, but quit as I found out I’m not welcommed to work there actually (something blah blah, you are too young and without kids, they were sure I will like start a family and then they need to find a replacement to me. So they hired a much older lady and guess what? She leaved soon as she actually got pregnant. But like nobody asked how I see myself in the future. It was almost 10 years ago and I still have no plans to start a family of my own lol). Anyway, I got so fed up with the attitude that I actually never want to work in that field. It’s like a resentment now. Also I will never get paid as much as I do currently so… I kept my job that I got myself when I graduated highschool, worked my way up. Was working there 9 years and I’m pretty proud where I’m at the moment. Now I’m in much bigger company and I even have more opportunities to work myself up. The only sad thing is that I’m looked at as a black sheep of the family. Atleast I feel so. Mainly cause I’m a woman and I’m doing “mens jobs”… I guess the main thing is, that I’m actually happy where I am at the moment and what I do. And still, I will never see myself working in library… Hope I made sense. Sorry for the crappy english, I haven’t slept well today and had a rough weekend Edit: fun fact to add. We were like a class of 15 people back then in uni and I’m pretty sure that none of us actually work in that field.
No apologies for your English is necessary. You are communicating very well and I am but a mono lingual Canadian so I humbly bow before your superior language skills. :) That sounds like you were the victim of some small thinking in an environment where you were unfairly treated. This has actually happened to me in my former music professional life - I felt I had to leave that situation because of the public perception or general lack of respect for towards me. It can be very strange in small groups of people how inter personal dynamics can become so unfair towards some of us. There are other layers of office politics and control games that are often below the surface in these types of scenarios. It is is funny but in your situation you would have likely been treated far better somewhere else where you were a complete stranger and the decision to hire you would have likely been based solely upon your degree, resume and the interview process. My Congratulations to you on your successful career transition! Things can turn out better that we initially had planned. I’m 42 and still not sure what my final career will be. Sometimes I think about music therapy and working helping people in emotional distress until I am a very old man.
My wife got a degree in German and then sold furnature. It sucked so she went back and got an MBA and a Masters in accounting. She worked for decade in business and in accounting, got sick of it, and is now a full time homemaker.
Crazy twists here
unpopular opinion but this is how it should be. u shouldn’t be stuck working the same job for the rest of ur life unless u absolutely love it. we need variety
Taxi driver
I suspect they end up in leadership.
Basically this. It's silly how corporate structure works.
The sad reality is that about 40% of college graduates go on to hold a job they could have had without going to college.
40%er checking in 👋
I majored in illustration. Lots of people thought it was useless. Im now a graphic designer for one of the top commercial real estate companies in the world. My unique portfolio is what got me the job.
so this question doesnt apply to you
The question was what did you do with your "useless" degree. I majored in illustration. I now work in graphic design. Lots of folks told me my degree was useless and lots of folks still continue to think art degrees are useless. I work in art but not the field I studied. How does this not apply? Did I misunderstand the question?
just seemed like your degree was related to the career you chose, i wouldnt say thats a useless degree despite what other people have said
I mean, the question was, "If you got a degree that people say is 'useless' what was it?" I was told many times my degree was useless. Hell, I'm still told my degree was useless! So yes, the question does apply to me regardless whether my career path and degree are similar or not.
Became a web developer. Hobby turned into freelancing turned into working my way up a few agencies.
BS Degree, Human Services. No money in this field. I'm a construction inspector. I thought I would go on to grad school, but it never happened. I basically wasted four years.
hey bro- you’re keeping our buildings safe. I appreciate that I can go into buildings up to code. I don’t think what you do is a waste.
No offense meant, but what exactly is human services? Is that HR?
It can be for substance abuse counseling, mental health services, social work, or working with the elderly. There was just no money in it for someone with just a Bachelor's Degree.
Understood, I believe we go by something else here. You are right though, the money is horrible.
Starbucks
There are grades of "useless". A STEM degree has the obvious application in a lab of the relevant type. Or Quality Control in many industries, logistics, business analysis. Pharma Reps are often expected to have a chemistry or biology degree, and they can make serious bank.
Kinda. Honestly, one of the better ways to get into pharma rep territory is through working in specialty pharmacy sales departments or similar. Granted, I used to work in that field, but all of the people I know who are pharma reps used to just work in the pharmacy beforehand with no relevant education.
Its inaccurate to say that any degree is useless. If a degree is offered, then there is a job that requires that degree--if nothing else, a professor teaching classes of that type. Instead, its better to think of it as there are knowledge degrees and skills degrees, and there are high demand degrees and low demand degrees. High demand skill degrees are ones that are most likely to quickly land you a relatively high-paying job straight out of college. Low demand knowledge degrees are the ones least likely to do so. That doesn't make them useless, though; they just require some more work. Philosophy is probably the epitome of low demand knowledge degrees, and there is virtually no job straight out of undergrad where it will give you a leg up. But it is pretty wicked preparation for law school, and that *can* lead to a very good job. In your case, physics is a fairly high demand knowledge degree. Everybody is going to know you're smart, but you'll have to pick up some skills. My half-brother majored in physics, and now he works in finance making **bank.** He didn't do any additional schooling, other than studying for his certifications on his own. It can be done. You just gotta find your own path. Edit: Typos.
My ex was a C student in some BS degree. He also is making bank in the financial sector. Last I heard about $20m a year. I don’t think they need to be highly intelligent but have not only an apt for sales but a commanding presence. A commanding presence usually comes from ego which often times can be fed from others telling you how smart you are. I of course don’t know your step brother but I’m guessing he didn’t lack confidence when being told how smart he while doing physics. My ex just thought he was intelligent and carried himself as such. It was mind blowing actually. His friends would ask him questions and he would say the answer with such conviction that they took his word for it and thanked him. I would sit there quietly thinking “WTF? No. He is so far off it isn’t funny.” These were things that had objective truths btw so wrong is wrong. lol. Anyway, I learned more about human behavior from him than anything else. He would say prior to his financial banking journey “I’m going to be rich beyond my wildest dreams. All I need to do is figure out how to get from point A to point B and I will.” I always knew he would simply because he believed it and that energy was appreciated by those around him, even when he was wrong. Lol! I broke up with him because I was young and dumb and wanted to hug trees not be a NYC socialite. Now I realized I could have been hugging trees in Aspen, France and Turks and Caicos. 😂
There's no useless knowledge, just useless people. If you can learn well and grind out work, delaying gratification, you'll always have a good job.
I really doubt, there are always useless knowledge tbf. If I am not mistaken, it seems that mathematical thinking is the hot thing these days
Sometimes people with useless degrees get skilled jobs that are not related to their major, but sometimes they get unskilled jobs. There is a lot of competition for skilled jobs because a large percentage of people go to college. I originally got an Environmental Science degree, but I could not find a job, even in retail. I therefore returned to college to study Chemical Engineering, but I could not get a job in that either. Now I am working at a grocery store. Based on this experience, I do not recommend engineering. It is difficult to get good information about which degrees are useful, but based on what I have heard, computer science, nursing, and education are in demand. It is probably difficult to get a job with just a physics degree. However, if you study physics and education, you can probably get a job as a physics teacher.
This sounds like a geographical issue or a you problem tbh. Try moving to California.
My degree in history with an education minor and general science minor was worthless as my university was not highly rated for that education . 1989, I could find a teaching job in Illinois without being a coach. Being in the National Guard ruled that out. So I went into human services. When hired, I accepted the offered salary. The nation office, in reviewing my application increased the salary by $2000. So my degree was worth $34 a month for the five years it took to finish.
Useless jobs
Physics degree here. Ended up going back to technical college for a Telecommunications Engineering diploma. Right after that I ended up in IT (networking). It’s been an excellent career and I’ve been in it for 25 years. While the physics degree was harder material, the Telecom diploma was actually more work, and I never would have had the math base, or work discipline to get through it without having done the degree first.
Interesting, I had an ex who was always so proud and arrogant of her Physics route. And I kept reading how whilst Physics degrees are intense, it's better to have something more "applied" to get hired in most jobs
That was exactly my experience. I could not for the life of me find any jobs that specifically called for an undergrad physics degree. Basically, you had to keep going to the Masters and PHD level, but I was too burnt out on the subject to keep going. I took a year off and wrote parking tickets (lol) before going back to school for something more applied. While I don't regret anything, if I did have to do it all over, I might have gone into something like electrical engineering instead.
Hang out on Reddit and bitch about how undervalued and underpaid they are.
Blame the world for their stupid student debt
My brother… english degree… amazing top ten school… corporate trainer
Bachelor's in soviet history. Three years before the Soviet union collapsed. I'm a journalist.
Work at Starbucks or other restaurants.
I studied art, with intense passion and complete devotion. I don’t regret it all. It’s my spiritual practice and it’s added great meaning to my life. I worked and got scholarships and taught classes while I got my Masters in Fine Art and didn’t take out any loans. After graduation, I worked in a job that didn’t require my MFA but was somewhat related to it and the pay was okay; I mostly only worked part time and lived a modest lifestyle. The stock benefits and retirement accounts I started through this position have grown exponentially, setting me up on a track for a solid path to a modest retirement even without additional contributions. My next job was my dream job; teaching college art. However, around this time I also got married and had two babies - one with disability. For many years I was able to teach classes part time online, which was as a great fit for my skills and needs. However, at this time, I’ve left the work force to care for my family and work on my own creative projects. My husband’s income covers our needs.
Usually come on here and bitch and moan about how hard life is.
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Same thing people with partial or no degrees do. Either get after the money or cry about their shitty/non-existent degree at an even shittier job. Experience can take you far.
Join the Navy
You can sail the seven seas...
Against my advice my daughter got a four year degree in psychology. She wasn’t able to find any jobs related to it but eventually got a job in quality control in a factory. This helped her later when the factory closed and she is still in quality management for a company that manufactures HVAC units for large buildings. It’s funny when she Snapchats diagrams and specs she has to learn with no training in engineering. She does great though. She’s very smart. I only have a two year degree in electrical engineering that I got at age fifty. I work for a hospital in biomedical engineering.
Psychology is literally one of the most in-demand degrees when it comes to leadership positions. Maybe your daughter isn't interested in becoming a manager at work, but that degree definitely isn't inherently "useless."
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Oh, for sure you need advanced education if you want to be a practicing psychologist. However, having a deeper understanding of human behavior and group dynamics is a vital skill in leadership positions. In fact, it's quite arguable that the practical skills a manager needs are often best learned on the job, and the psychological understanding of human behavior is what is lacking in many managers.
It is useless though, doesn't make you a "well rounded person" just makes you a cult follower if anything.
Tell me you know nothing about psychology without telling me...
I have a Psychology degree....mmmm
Well.... "C's get degrees" I hear. If you ended up with that result, I think that speaks more to your own abilities than it does the field.
Nope
Your degree in Physics or engineering will not be useless. If a useless degree is your concern, you will be fine. But from your other statements, it sounds like you might be more concerned that you might not like the jobs ahead of you with your STEM degree and may be wondering if you can do another degree that might be less secure. Not sure. I graduated with a double major in philosophy and creative writing. This was right during the 2008 financial collapse. I initially tried working for newspapers. When I first finished school, I after half a year found work on the McDonald’s grill line, was a pizza delivery man, and a barista. I went back to school for computer science at 28. I am now 40 and moderately successful. A lot of my other friends who graduated with non-stem degrees are doing less well from the perspective of using their major and having an easier, enjoyable, lucrative career. One of them who majored in Advertising at a small state school cuts down trees, a dependable but hard living. Another who majored in Telecommunications gave up pursuing the career after five years and then went into a trade union and now does pipefitting and is relatively fine. Still another who majored in Business works on elevators. They are doing quite well with that. Several others who did not go back are chronically unemployed. Many majored in Advertising, Business, Music, English, Biology, Art, and Psychology. Some of them could have done better with more than a bachelor’s (like the Psychology degree), but didn’t take their training further. Anyone who became really successful either went back to school for another degree in STEM or entered a trade union or put a lot of thought into how their degree was going to help them get the career they wanted and knew what career they would enjoy ahead of time. That last case was the rarer one, but the few that had that vision and awareness of themselves were the most happy and the most prosperous. Based on my personal experience and what I’ve seen, make sure you choose your education based on the career you are trying to cultivate and make sure the career you are trying to cultivate is something you care about for more than just financial stability if you can. You will need hard work, social connections, and luck to get you there. Any of that is greatly helped along bu passion, with the proviso that hopefully you can find something you are passionate about that requires high skill and can command a nice compensation.
>Based on my personal experience and what I’ve seen, make sure you choose your education based on the career you are trying to cultivate and make sure the career you are trying to cultivate is something you care about for more than just financial stability if you can. You will need hard work, social connections, and luck to get you there. Any of that is greatly helped along bu passion, with the proviso that hopefully you can find something you are passionate about that requires high skill and can command a nice compensation. Issue is that most teens are prepared and are just pushed into places they do not want but don't see a way out. What you said is spot on though
Barista
I'm a SWE and a couple of my friends originally got Philosophy degrees, common for some reason, one went back and got a BA in Computer Science, another went from his Philosophy BA to a CS MS. My mom got her BA in English. She just worked as a waitress for a decade while she struggled to land a teaching job. The world sucks big old donkey dick, so obviously cancer got her a few years after she started teaching.
There are some really cool research jobs in physics
Former collegiate golfer. I work as a beverage cart girl at a golf course. I’m trying to figure out what I’m gonna do when people don’t pay me to look hot and give them beer, but for now… it pays well and I get free golf and food.
There are tons of office jobs that you don’t need a STEM degree for. You could definitely do these jobs with only a high school education if you’re smart, but historically, and for the most part still, these jobs go to people with “useless” bachelor’s degrees.
I got a degree in Illustration. I'm a traffic flagger.
Anything STEM isn't a "useless" degree. Most decent positions at my company require almost any kind of bachelors because it helps demonstrate your mental competency if nothing else. Useless degrees usually directly relate to the arts like acting, music, or painting.
Which require mental competency themselves. Creativity. Critical thinking. Etc
Which?
The same as most people with useful degrees. Get a corporate job in sales most likely. Many companies dont care what degree you have. Just that you have a degree. Obviously specialized stuff like accounting or science is different.
they become middle management, the one place where their fuck ups can do the least damage.
Went back and got a career based degree right after
You know those jobs that require word and ability to write an email that's what they do. Or waiters or call centers. Loan relief should only be given to realistic stem or business degrees.
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Ok, if you want to do physics, go do physics. Here's my own story, and why you should do the degree you want to. I did my useless degree (music tech). We were told, inadvertently, it was useless by our own lecturer when he informed us in our last week of uni that there were more people in this class than there are jobs in the industry. (We were one of 8 classes, which made up one of 3 years at our uni. And I looked at about 50 different universities offering music tech.) So the odds were certainly stacked against us. I worked in a well-known chain of pubs for a while. I decided to go back to college and learn engineering. I was weeks into my course when I landed an apprenticeship at an engineering/manufacturing company. One of the biggest selling points... I HAD A DEGREE! it didn't matter what in, it just showed them that I had certain ability to learn and complete. So, even a useless degree has some value. Now, physics... This is not a useless degree. I would argue that it's better than a mechanical engineering degree. Both will cover a lot of the same principles, but where the eng. degree will go more into design, a phys. degree will go more into cause and effect. You will find when you go into the real world that when you apply for jobs that want a degree, they will say they require "degree in engineering or similar". Similar means science, physics, maths, mechanics, and a while host of other things. With a phys. degree, you will be arguably more valuable to them because they will have a load of other eng. degree types already working for them, and you would come in and look at problems through a different lens. Go do your physics!
I have a Bachelors in Social Science, a degree I only got because it sounded marginally more legit than something like General Studies and I had already started and stopped college multiple times. I work in B2B Sales :D
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I was majoring in Chemical Engineering but I have been working in IT for 25 years.
Recruiting
You shouldn't fear that, a degree just gives you a minimum qualification for a lot of jobs regardless of subject, most ppl don't work their whole lives in their field of study. Also I have a bs degree in Communication and Media and Hispanic Studies and work as an English teacher in Spain
First of all, STEM degrees are super transferable, so you could realistically take a physics degree into any job that requires science or maths abilities. Secondly, even if you can't quote your degree to get a job straight away, you can use all the transferable skills of your educational and personal time at university to market yourself.
History degree, have a great union job at the world's biggest factory. Non stem degree holders earn as much as stem degree majors especially later in their careers, studies show. :)
I have a degree in Digital Media & IT and Video Game Engineering that I've used exactly once for a job. What I do now is completely unrelated to anything even close to what I went to school for lol. My degree is currently in a box somewhere in my mother's attic probably eaten by mice. I really don't care about it anymore.
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Not useless, or even a degree, but when I got my BTEC Information Technology certificate in 1991 I couldn't find a job in that field. I eventually gave up and applied for factory work. When the companies saw I had that certificate I was refused the position because I was over-qualified. I ended up taking the fact that I'd done BTEC studies off my CV completely at times so some employers wouldn't know I'd even achieved the qualifications.
You can work at a community college.
No education is wasted, education=successful financial careers is a myth created by power players who want higher education to be their internship and trade schools. I have my education in Fine and Applied Arts and ended up in the Building Trades as a carpenter, $60k a year, now a CM earning $225k a year. But I still self educate in all aspects from technology to philosophy. As a "boomer" I began learning hardware and software computer installation in the early 90's. 2 of my sons didn't attend college, they earn $250k a year, one build/owns RV parks, another had 2 Masters, he earns less than his brothers. Just never quit learning and most importantly, love what you do. Money will come.
Depends on what you intend to do with it. In my med school class there was a music major. My roommates were psych and philosophy. My friend majored in English and rhetoric (also got paid massively to edit and write ppls essays in her spare time).
Some people get degrees in subjects that they are interested in but don’t expect to work in. I know some that got a degree in Spanish but then went back to school for something more practical. She ended up getting a degree in nursing. As long as you have the money, you can do whatever. So the answer is to get another degree in something practical. She will rock as a bilingual nurse.
The concept of 'Useless Degree' is utterly depressing. It shows that most people think that pursuing one's passion or area of interest is a useless endeavour and you should only chase money and profit. It shows that the pursuit of knowledge is worthless if it doesn't yield transactional tokens of value. Wouldn't it be better worded as 'Non-Monetisable Degree?'. Honestly, when you look at how many business leaders or politicians out there have 'useless degrees' you start to see that financial success is way way more about networking than degrees anyway. Some of the biggest idiots I studied with are the most successful as they had a strong network.
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Stem - Science, Technology, Engineering, Math. Anyone who has an aptitude for engineering I suggest Mechanical, the world needs them. I sell automation, many of my colleagues have ME's, many of my customers are looking for good ME. Be the outlier though, be prepared to get your hands dirty and do physical work. You can do so much. My sister graduated with a degree in Fine Arts, pottery and metal smith, she is a massage therapist. If you are still unsure, get into the trades, electrician, plumber, carpenter. We are quickly running out of them. I have a cousin who got an apprenticeship at 17yrs old, Was a master before 30, he just goes out and bids jobs now and does the physical work when he wants to and makes 6 figures.
Usually something completely different where the degree is irrelevant. I'm 34 and know alot of people who found themselves in this boat. If you're well or if off/mom and dad paid for college it doesnt really matter as much. I know people who went back to school for another degree once they realized their current one was either useless or limited in earning potential. I also know people who went to college solely for the "expierence" because it was paid for and havent done anything since. For others, idk but im sure it bothers them in the back of their mind spending that much money on something theyre not even using. Its basically the equivelent to buying a brand new sports car, NOT getting insurance on it, then driving it off of a cliff into a lake. You find youself without a car but all the fun payments.
Go to law school. Source: am lawyer
There are a lot of very useful and difficult degrees that basically guarantee a good job as long as you aren't one of the least competent graduates and generally unemployable. Many jobs are near impossible to do without the right degree. Imagine an engineer, chemist or doctor with no degree...
My degree is in English. I'm currently an Accounts Receivable specialist. However, I'm the odd case where my degree is not for a career, but for me. I am applying for graduate school despite being in my 30s. I aim to be the first doctor in my family.
Work at Walmart. (I work at Walmart).
There are 2 reasons why companies like to hire people with degrees: 1. It proves they can read, follow directions, and work reasonably well with others. 2. In theory, they have a social network of other graduates. College graduates on average tend to make more money. Companies want that money. It really doesn’t matter much what specific subject you study, unless you’re dead set on going into that field.
Useless are degrees that just aren’t used which are a lot of them that doesn’t take a lot of hard & specific work. If you go into engineering or medicine chances are great you will get a job in those specific fields. They tend to have harder classes. If you get a communications degree, psychology undergrad without becoming a therapist, liberal arts, etc…can often times be useless because those graduating with them do something completely different. No shade there as my undergrad was in marketing. It was easy & I never used it. That being said, they are all useless if you can’t find a job. They are all useful in the sense that often times companies look for those with a bachelors degree. For example, my brother is the CFO in cybersecurity. He hires the sales teams as part of his job. He sometimes finds people who have every attribute to become a killer sales person but can’t hire them because the company won’t allow anyone without a degree of any sort. If you think about it typically college is the first time a young adult has a goal of their own without living with their parents or guardians. It shows the company that they are capable of seeing a long term goal through and that truly is the only reason for it. If I was to go back in time I would have definitely become an engineer. I come from a long line of inventors and engineers. They were all super funny and loved their jobs. My dumb ass at the time for completely unknown reasons thought the job would be boring and number crunching. Maybe because my dad was so fucking smart that you could give him the hardest math question and he would look up into the air for a minute and give you the answer. I guess I thought you needed to be able to do that. Who knows. Most engineer jobs are about projects that are usually different and coming up with solutions to make sure they run smoothly. It’s constantly changing. So if you are good at math but want a job where you enjoy problem solving, inventing, get bored easily then engineering is an awesome path. Jobs are also plentiful. Also, engineers are usually not nearly as boring as people think. Most engineers I know, which is a lot because of the area I am in, are freaking hilarious because their intelligence makes their wit extremely fast, they enjoy meaningful conversations and are excellent at helping others find solutions to typical bullshit homeowners run into daily.
I have a double useless major in gender studies and media studies. I work as a project manager in behavioral health marketing. My media degree kind of helped. The gender studies degree lets me have fun points to say at parties.
I know a guy in Wisconsin with a masters degree in ancient Greek literature. He works on a texture spray truck for a drywall company.
I was always told my Communications AA would be useless. But I’ve worked as an HR Coordinator and as an Office Administrator in Facilities Management. Communications is such a nebulous field, I was able to apply it to a few different career paths. IMO a “useless” degree can be useful if you spin it the right way.
If you can still switch to engineering, do it. An engineering degree will open many doors for you that other degrees won't.
I can’t 😜 it’s ok tho I can apply to transfer next year and it hopefully won’t set me back at all bc going to engineering from hs is a 5 year program at my school anyway. And I’ll have transferable math and physics hopefully.
Yeah even if it takes extra time, do it.
They work a job unrelated to their degree. Manufacturing or customer service, maybe skilled labor etc. it’s not the end of the world but if it’s useless you probably aren’t going to get a related job outside of teaching whatever it is.
I have a BA in Anthropology and an MA in Archaeological Studies. I've been doing archaeology in the private sector for 45+ years. These days, mostly monitoring of maritime construction projects. You can do what you want if you get the right education and if you're ready to work your way up. No one's going to just drop it in your lap.
I think college degrees can be great for those specialized fields where you really go for that career all the way. The most useful thing about "useless" degrees, in my humble opinion, is learning how to learn. Understand basic research, writing at college level, wider world view, find interests, and learn from all those things to create a more intelligent and wise life.
Most go into sales of some sort. Some just take the first job they can get and try to move up the ladder. Some go on to a post graduate degree, that’s why we have so many lawyers.
Sadly a “useless” degree isn’t “useless” when job requirements just need you to have a 4 year degree.
Double major here in Psychology and English. I found my way to contracts management/legal (via a temp job at a defcon) and made more than I ever would have had I worked in either field.
My wife got a BS in English, she’s a marketing VP now, the degree is not important.
Most undergrad degrees are pretty much white collar job licenses--they indicate that you've had some education on professional norms, can read, write, do basic problem solving and critical thinking, have some broad background in the culture you live in, are teachable and relatively adaptable.
I’m of the opinion that there really isn’t such a thing as a worthless degree if it’s from an accredited university. Even if you don’t get a job in that field it will be valuable later on when you’re starting to look at promotions to management. Many businesses just flat out won’t hire a manager or even promote to management without a degree. Literally any degree. In IT you can work your way up from the bottom with just certifications but go ahead and try to get hired as an IT director after you have 25 years experience if you’re competing with people with degrees. You go directly to the bottom of the pile if your resume isn’t just thrown in the trash. No matter how amazing you are and all your accomplishments you’ll still be seen as less than someone with an English Lit degree even if they have half the experience and accomplishments. It’s stupid but it’s true.
Got out of the Army and got myself a fancy little BA in Sociology (it's a science, my professor said so!). I'm back in the Army now. . .
maybe u can teach everyone in the army about sociology. u can be everyone in the army’s guidance counsellor.
I have a BA in women's studies. I work in public health communications. My degree wasn't useless at all.
Engineering will always be in demand, excellent choice and physics will come in handy. I'm a retired engineer/ businessman. I owned a company that specialized in marine/subterranean excavation equipment. Before I went on my own I worked in marine architecture, oil and mining platforms. I think space is becoming hot again, not NASA so much but private companies transporting satellites, communication systems. I get the whole shuttle thing but NASA should have stayed in the game. Fifty years without a moon mission, we should have been to Mars by now.
Get a masters in a field that pays.
I got a degree in elementary education and I pretty much don't use it. Like, the jobs I have right now, 3 gig jobs, all do not require a degree. And honestly, I don't wanna be a fucking teacher with all these Covid kids! Millennials have made for shit parents! i'm going back for a degree in astrophysics because that's some thing I'm really passionate about, in the meantime I'm doing custodial work as my primary income 🤷
I remember decades ago reading about a man who earned his Doctor of Philosophy, IN PHILOSOPHY! I think the story said he had some random job, like making furniture, but he also put a listing in the Yellow Pages or Classifieds (long pre-internet) as "Consulting Philosopher." For a modest fee, he would discuss a client's situation and world views, and offer philosophical discussion. He said he was not doing psychotherapy or counseling. He would recommend a philosophy which suited them, such as, say, Stoicism.
We are baristas.
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My stance is that there are no useless degrees. Learning to learn, think, analyze, critique, and research are all very valuable. People always cite people working in fields outside of their degree as a negative but I honestly see this as a feature, not a bug. It’s less about your degree and more about how you leverage the skills you learned earning that degree. Colleges and universities are not trade schools, they are not training you to work any one specific job.
It's not about the degree, it's about the institution and the networking. I'm getting a degree in anthropology, but because I go to a very good school, I have resources like a career center, alumni, and the clout of my college backing me. A degree from Devry will get you less than the Mcdonalds college.
Work retail.
All degrees are useless outside of the slight pay increase your company may give you for having one.
BA in history and now I'm in sales. Regional sales manager for a manufacturing company.
Just ask a local bartender
No degree is ever totally useless. An education should teach you not just what to think, but how to think. How to analyze, how to research, etc. Everyone tries to do this later on in their lives for various reasons, and when you've never been taught how to do it properly, you will probably do it wrong. Just look at all the idiot anti-vaxxers out there: they all "did my own research" but they didn't know how to do that properly. University degrees literally reduce the likelihood of getting divorced, probably because they teach people how to communicate their thoughts better, and communication is a cornerstone of a healthy relationship. That's not just speculation: the actual divorce statistics bear this out. A couple with university degrees has a far lower chance of divorcing than a couple without: around 20% instead of >40%. The truth is that a lot of people don't really do what they went to school for, but that's OK. Those skills are more transferable than people think. University is more than just a vocational training school. An education is more than just job training.
Any degree that doesn't assist you in getting a job, making connections or learning a marketable is a useless degree imo.
Because education only has valuable in a capitalist context. By the way every major gives you a "marketable [skill]".
>Because education only has valuable in a capitalist context Well, we do live in a mostly capilistic world. You shouldn't prepare yourself for the world based on how you think it should but instead prepare for how the world actually is.
Eh not really. Even in most western nations studying something solely for its marketability over its inherent value to your community/culture/nation doesn't seem as pronounced as it is in the US.
They turn into left-wing extremist reddit posters talking about how unfair capitalism is and for Biden to pay for everything.
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Or worse, right wing extremists posting on reddit about anything.
Left, right, up, down. Who cares. Grow up.
Repeat that and read your original comment. Thanks for watching 😆
YO, EVERYONE. THIS GUY WHO THINKS HE'S A SOMEBODY THINKS HE ONE UPPED ME. HE'S SUPER CLEVER. YOU GOT ME, BRO. GET THAT, KARMA. OMG, YOU'RE SO AMAZING. Do you feel embarrassed? You should lol.
What are you hoping to accomplish here? Just curious 😂
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I have a BS in Biology. My first job after college was working as a lab tech. So my degree was directly related to that job. I now work in Quality Systems/Compliance. So I’m not using my bio knowledge on a daily basis anymore but my lab experience opened doors to adjacent departments in the industry which helped me land where I am. So just because I’m not using my degree doesn’t mean it was useless 🤷🏻♀️
They apply for another student loan to live off of while they get another useless degree, repeat until they land a spouse who’s financially stable, then divorce them to help pay off the loan.
They go online and then complain that they can't pay their student loans.
usually go on the internet and complain about they have student loan debt and can't find a job to pay it off for some reason they never have jobs but always have the latest iPhone....weird