The job market is great today, but when the classꦰ of 2027 tosses their graduation hats into the air and begin searching for work, the world may be a different place.
Worry not — we’ve got you covered. Using data from the experts at the World Economic Forum and Bureau of Labor Statistics, here are some of the hottest majors to consider in order to step out of college ꦏand into a great job.
Data science and analytics
Graduates with these degrees𓂃 work with large data sets to discover patterns, make hypotheses and apply them to problems. Almost every kind of large company, organizatܫion and institution employs them.
If the experts are right, graduates with these degrees will have employ🐠ers fighting over them. But be warned — it’s diffi෴cult to win admission to top schools, and the price of tuition is steep.
Highly rated programs are offered by the , , , and 🦩. However, the, or City Tech, also offers the same degree.
Entry-level data scientists earn between $65,474 and $121,493 per year, while experts earn well over $300,000 when you add in bonuses. Data scientists and dat🐎a analysts can grow their careers🐽 by deepening their expertise or by moving into leadership, consulting or product-management roles.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning
Graduates in these fields will have learned to program machines such as chatbots, drones, robots and sel𝄹f-driving vehicles to behave like intelligent beings.
Top-rat👍ed programs are offered at, MIT, Carnegie Mellon, (a k a Georgia Tech) and Stanford, among others. In New York, Columbia and Cornell also offer programs.
The average salary for an entry-level artificial intelligence or machine learning engineer is $112,564 per year. Experienced pros can earn upward of $300,000. AI and machine learning are such deep disciplines that career paths are 💖most often defined by level of expertise and the ability to interact with manaꦇgement.
Computer science
Compute𝓰r scientists, for the most part, use computer programming techniques to enh♕ance software, algorithms and hardware. They can also collaborate on challenging projects with electrical and computer hardware engineers.
Carnegie Mellon, MIT, Stan🔯ford, UC Berkeley and Cornell offer top programs. New York has more moderately priced schools like and , which offer highly rated programs. More than 12 schools offer de🍎grees in computer science. on Long Island is a State University of New York school and offers one of the better programs in the country.
The average salary for an en🦋try-level computer scientist is $45,785 to $99,523 per year. Later in their careers, the best CS professionals can earn over $200,000, not counting any bonuses. Computer scientists who want to move beyond coding can work as software develo🎉pers and engineers, cloud experts, database administrators and managers.
Digital marketing
Stude𝓡nts with this major learn how to use Internet resources to help companies grow revenue and build their brands. Top schools include at Ann Arbor, , at Bloomington, at Austin and .
New York residents have access to solid bachelor’s degree programs that are less expensive and may be compꩵosed of marketing and digital courses at schools like , , RIT and
The💞 average salary for an entry-level digital marketer is $31,000 to $66,000 per year. Later in their careers, the best digital marketers can earn over $200,000.
Entry-level digital marketers can grow across corporate digital marketing organizations, into lead and analy🎉st roles, digital consultancies, marketing management and more.
Business management and operations
Every business has a person behind the sceneওs that makes sure that everything runs smoothly. This is true whether we’re talking about a touring band, a top hotel, the New York Stock Exchange or Hud♕son Yards.
Though you can’t get the big business-ops jobs from the very start, a degree in business management is a great place to begin. 𓆏Top schools in business management include Harv🐟ard, Stanford, UPenn, MIT and UC Berkeley.
Locally, NYU offers business degrees, as do CUNY schools including , and. SUNY offers bachelo♎r’s degree business programs at , , Stony Brook and, among others.
The average salary for a new business-management graduate is about $49,000 per year. At top companies, chief operations officers earn well over $1 ﷽million when you count stock𓆏 options and bonuses. Career paths for individuals in operations management can progress to becoming COOs.
As you climb the𒊎 ranks, a Master of Business Aღdministration becomes desirable.
Information security and cybersecurity
Graduates in these fields are responsible for guarding an organization’s data by hunting for invaders and thieves and stopping them before they cause troಞuble. A bachelor’s degree in this field is your ticket in.
Top schools include Carnegie Mellon, MIT, UC Berkeley, Stanford and Georgia Tech. That said, with sܫo many Wall Street firms and banks in the area, the CUNY and SUNY schools make great feeders.
offers BTECH, a bachelor’s degree in technology🌠 that covers cybers🎶ecurity. Cybersecurity certificates can be earned in conjunction with other degrees at CUNY schools. SUNY schools including , and offer bachelor’s degrees in cybersecurity.
Other SUNY schools offer Associate in Applied Science degrees and certificates in cybersecurity, which can be used on their own to get work or app🥀lied toward bachelor’s degrees. Also of note: offers an Associate of Science ♔degree in hacking and cybersecurity.
Salaries for new graduates range from $44,000 to $80,000 while top earners bring home nearly $200,000 if you don’t 𓆏count stock options and bo༒nuses. Career paths include management, consulting and engineering.
Nursing
Nurse practitioners are in especially high demand, but becoming one isn’t as simple as earning a bachelor’s degree. First you must become a regisཧtered nurse with a Bachelor of Science in nursing, or BSN. After that, you must complete an NP🎉-focused master’s program or a doctoral nursing program and successfully pass a national NP board certification exam.
To reach that pinnacle, the best place to st♓art is by earning a BSN. Top 🐟nursing schools include , , , UPenn and Columbia.
Locally, on Long Island offers a BSN, as do other schools in the system. City Tech, ꩵCollege of Staten Island and are among the CUNY schools that offer BSN programs.
First year’s earnings for an entry-le🏅vel BSN averagꦦe about $53,00. Nurses who proceed to become nurse practitioners earn between $130,470 and $152,745 on average.
