UNDERGRADUATE ACADEMIC
FIELDS OF INTEREST BY
POPULATION
Prepared for Clarion University of Pennsylvania
June 2015

In the following report, Hanover Research discusses
undergraduate programs that are popular among
undergraduate students in different demographic groups. A
spreadsheet accompanying this report details degree
completions at the national, regional, and state levels ranked
by the overall numbers of completions by members of the
examined groups. These data are segmented to show which
program areas are most popular and growing most quickly
among segmented groups of students.

www.hanoverresearch.com

Hanover Research | June 2015

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary and Key Findings ................................................................................ 3
INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................................3
KEY FINDINGS .............................................................................................................................4
Section I: Top Academic Areas of Interest by Gender ........................................................ 5
PROGRAM AREAS BY GENDER ........................................................................................................5
Common Occupations for Men .........................................................................................7
Degree Completions for Men ............................................................................................7
Common Occupations for Women ..................................................................................11
Degree Completions for Women .....................................................................................11
Section II: Top Academic Areas of Interest for Minority Groups ...................................... 15
PROGRAM AREAS BY RACE/ETHNICITY ...........................................................................................15
Degree Completions for African-Americans ....................................................................16
Degree Completions for Hispanics ..................................................................................19
Section III: Top Academic Areas of Interest by Age .......................................................... 23
PROGRAM AREAS BY AGE ...........................................................................................................23
ACT College Choice Report ..............................................................................................23
Common Occupations for College Graduates .................................................................26
Appendix I: Report Methodology ..................................................................................... 28
Appendix II: Ecotourism ................................................................................................... 30

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND KEY FINDINGS
INTRODUCTION
This report examines demand for undergraduate education within various demographic
subgroups to assist Clarion University of Pennsylvania in increasing and diversifying its
undergraduate enrollment. Broadly, Hanover identified several key factors related to
gender, race/ethnicity, and age that influence undergraduate enrollment trends. Nationally,
women account for a greater percentage of undergraduates (57 percent) than do men.
Overall, the share of white undergraduate students has decreased over the last 40 years,
(with the share of ethnic minority students consequently increasing). Finally, students of
traditional college age (ages 18-24) accounted for the majority of undergraduate
enrollments in 2013.1 Of all these demographic factors, gender is consistently shown to be
the strongest indicator of choice of major.2
Hanover draws on a variety of sources for this report. For example, the National Center for
Education Statistics (NCES) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
provides student completions data by gender and racial/ethnic group, 3 which can be
analyzed across several years to gain insight into student demand, and the ACT College
Choice Report, which followed the high school class of 2013, provides further insight into
major choices among students of traditional college age.4
This report includes the following sections:







Section I: Top Academic Areas of Interest by Gender analyzes the most popular
majors for men and women. This section also includes an analysis of the occupations
with the largest “gender gap.”
Section II: Top Academic Areas of Interest for Minority Groups examines the most
popular majors for Hispanics and African-Americans, the two largest minority
groups. It also discusses occupations with a higher representation of minorities.
Section III: Top Academic Areas of Interest by Age Group uses data from ACT testtakers to discuss majors of greatest interest to traditional college-age students.
Appendix I: Project Methodology explains how Hanover identified the most popular
majors in Sections I and II and the contents of the accompanying Data Supplement.
Appendix II: Ecotourism briefly discusses this new degree field and its potential
appeal to students based on preliminary data indicators.

1

[1] “IPEDS Data Center.” National Center for Education Statistics. http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/datacenter/
[2] “Status and Trends in the Education of Racial and Ethnic Minorities.” National Center for Education Statistics, July
2010. https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2010/2010015/indicator6_24.asp
2
[1] “IPEDS Data Center.” Op. cit.
[2] Dickson, L. “Race and Gender Differences in College Major Choice.” University of Maryland Baltimore County,
May 31, 2009. p. 5. http://theop.princeton.edu/reports/wp/ANNALS_Dickson_Manuscript_FINAL_(31May09).pdf
3
“IPEDS Data Center.” Op cit.
4
“College Choice Report: High School Class of 2013: About the Report.” ACT College Choice Report.
http://www.act.org/collegechoice/13/about.html

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KEY FINDINGS











Women are consistently more likely to pursue higher education than men. In 2013,
women in the United States earned a clear majority of bachelor’s degrees (57
percent). Compared to race/ethnicity and age, gender is the strongest indicator of
the majors students will choose to pursue. Therefore, targeting degree programs
popular among male students nationally may be an effective way to balance gender
enrollments at Clarion University.
The most popular majors for men include computer science, engineering, and
business (finance in particular). The idea that men are more likely to major in STEM
(Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subjects is not true for science
and mathematics in general, but technology and engineering fields remain far more
popular among male students. Other popular majors among male students include
general business, criminal justice, and kinesiology. On the other hand, health
sciences, education, and social work are all majors that attract more women, making
such programs unlikely to contribute to more balanced student enrollment figures.
The share of ethnic and racial minorities enrolled in higher education is increasing.
From 1976 to 2008, the share of white students decreased by almost 20 percent.
Attracting ethnic minorities (particularly Hispanics and African-Americans, the two
largest minority groups) is now more important for institutions seeking to increase
overall enrollment.
Degree completion and employment trends suggest that African-Americans and
Hispanics are more likely to pursue social sciences, public policy, and health
sciences pathways. IPEDS completions data and the race/ethnicity distributions of
common occupational groups suggest that an above-average number of AfricanAmericans and Hispanics pursue degrees and jobs in these fields. The health
sciences are particularly popular among women in both groups.
Traditional college students (ages 18 to 24) still represent the largest group to
target when attempting to increase enrollment. Attending an institution with a
desired major is often important to these students when choosing an institution,
and according to ACT data, students who initially plan to major in business,
engineering, and the health sciences are most likely to actually declare majors in
these fields within their first two years of enrollment at four-year institutions.

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SECTION I: TOP ACADEMIC AREAS OF INTEREST
BY GENDER
In this section, Hanover discusses trends in undergraduate degree completions and majors
by gender at the national, regional, and state levels. Occupations that show the largest gaps
nationwide between male and female workers are detailed here as well to further identify
educational paths that have strong gender-linked divisions.

PROGRAM AREAS BY GENDER
Figure 1.1 displays the difference in male and female bachelor’s degree completions from
2009 to 2013. Over this period, a total of 3,906,525 male students completed bachelor’s
degrees (about 43 percent of total bachelor’s degrees), while female students completed
5,250,382 such degrees (about 57 percent).5 While women earned more degrees overall,
the number of completions for both genders grew at a similar rate.
Figure 1.1: Undergraduate Degree Completions by Gender, 2009-2013
1,200,000
1,000,000

976,627

1,006,000

800,000
750,432

726,202

600,000

1,048,173

1,095,721

836,439

813,836

779,616

1,123,861

Men
Women

400,000
200,000

0
2009
CATEGORY
Total
Percent Women
Percent Men

2010

2009
1,702,829
57.4%
42.6%

2011

2010
1,756,432
57.3%
42.7%

2012

2011
1,827,789
57.3%
42.7%

2013

2012
1,909,557
57.4%
42.6%

2013
1,960,300
57.3%
42.7%

TOTAL
9,156,907
57.3%
42.7%

Source: Integrated Postsecondary Data Center6

Traditionally, male undergraduate students have been more likely to pursue Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics degrees (“STEM” majors). However, at present,
only technology (considered as computer science) and engineering are noticeably more
5
6

“IPEDS Data Center.” Op. cit.
Ibid.

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popular with men.7 Women accounted for just 15 percent of computer science majors in
2011,8 and this gender disparity continued into the labor market, where a 2011 report
indicated that women held only 27 percent of all computer science-related jobs. (Similarly,
only one in seven engineers was female).9 Figure 1.2 lists these and other predominately
male majors alongside predominately female majors according to a 2009 PayScale report.10
Figure 1.2: Majors with the Largest Gender Gaps
FEMALE MAJORS
Fashion Design
Interior Design
Elementary Education
Social Work
Nursing
Occupational Therapy
French
Art History
Medical Technology
Food and Nutrition
Spanish
Health Care Administration
Public Relations
Human Resources
Psychology

PERCENT FEMALE
95%
90%
88%
88%
88%
86%
84%
83%
79%
78%
78%
76%
74%
72%
72%

MALE MAJORS
Construction Management
Mechanical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Physics
Aerospace Engineering
Civil Engineering
Computer Science
Landscape Architecture
Agriculture
Chemical Engineering
Geology
Economics
Geography
Sports Management
Finance

PERCENT MALE
93%
92%
91%
89%
87%
85%
85%
79%
77%
76%
76%
72%
72%
70%
70%

Source: PayScale11

Despite the perception that women do not
pursue STEM degrees, women have a strong
presence in mathematics and the sciences
overall, with female students being somewhat
more common than male students in biology.12
In 2012, women earned 58 percent of biology
degrees and 40 to 45 percent of math, statistics,
and physical sciences degrees.13

The gender disparity in “STEM”
majors is most severe in the
Technology and Engineering areas;
women are fairly well-represented
in Mathematics and Science.

7

“Who Studies What? Men, Women, and College Majors.” NPR Planet Money, October 28, 2014.
http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2014/10/28/359419934/who-studies-what-men-women-and-collegemajors
8
Mulhere, K. “Shifts in Computer Science Interest.” Inside Higher Ed, April 21, 2015.
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/04/21/study-measures-causes-gender-gap-computer-science
9
Huhman, H. “STEM Fields and the Gender Gap: Where Are the Women?” Forbes, June 20, 2012.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/work-in-progress/2012/06/20/stem-fields-and-the-gender-gap-where-are-thewomen/
10
Bardaro, K. “Majors by Gender: Is it Bias or the Major that Determines Future Pay?” PaysScale, December 3, 2009.
http://www.payscale.com/career-news/2009/12/do-men-or-women-choose-majors-to-maximize-income
11
Ibid.
12
“Who Studies What? Men, Women, and College Majors.” Op. cit.
13
Olson, R. “Percentage of Bachelor’s degrees conferred to women, by major (1970-2012).” Randal S. Olson Blog,
June 14, 2014. http://www.randalolson.com/2014/06/14/percentage-of-bachelors-degrees-conferred-to-womenby-major-1970-2012/

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COMMON OCCUPATIONS FOR MEN
Figure 1.3 shows the 20 most common occupations for men and the most common
educational attainment level held by workers in each role, per the Institute for Women’s
Policy Research and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Together, these occupations employ 28
percent of men and 16 percent of women in the labor force. As suggested earlier in the
report, computer science and financial positions are popular among male graduates with
bachelor’s degrees.
Figure 1.3: 20 Most Common Occupations among Men (Full-time Workers)
SHARE OF MALE
OCCUPATION

WORKERS IN

Carpenters
Electricians
Automotive service technicians and mechanics
Construction laborers
Grounds maintenance workers
Police and sheriff's patrol officers
First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
Software developers, applications and systems software
Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing
General and operations managers
Chief executives
Janitors and building cleaners
Cooks
Stock clerks and order fillers
Managers, all other
Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators
Retail salespersons
First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
Accountants and auditors
Customer service representatives

OCCUPATION
98.6%
98.3%
98.1%
97.3%
96.1%
87.0%
81.5%
80.2%
77.3%
73.6%
72.8%
72.6%
65.3%
65.0%
62.8%
62.8%
59.7%
57.7%
37.7%
33.9%

TYPICAL EDUCATION
FOR ENTRY TO THE
WORKFORCE
High school
High school
High school
High school
High school
Some college
High school
Bachelor’s degree
Bachelor’s degree
Bachelor’s degree
Bachelor’s degree
High school
High school
High school
Bachelor’s degree
High school
High school
High school
Bachelor’s degree
Some college

Source: Institute for Women’s Policy Research,14 BLS15

DEGREE COMPLETIONS FOR MEN
Figures 1.4 through 1.6 detail the 20 majors at the national, regional, and state levels that
attract the largest numbers of men. The listed majors include only those where male
students accounted for at least 50 percent of the bachelor’s degrees conferred in 2013. For
additional information on the methodology used to make these selections, see Appendix I.

14

“The Gender Wage Gap by Occupation 2013.” Institute for Women’s Policy Research, April 2014. p. 4.
http://www.iwpr.org/publications/pubs/the-gender-wage-gap-by-occupation-and-by-race-and-ethnicity2013/at_download/file
15
“Educational attainment for workers 25 years and older by detailed occupation.” Op. cit.

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NATIONAL DEGREE COMPLETIONS
Figure 1.4 presents the top 20 majors for men in 2013 according to the criteria above. Some
major trends among male degree conferrals are as follows:






Finance is particularly popular. While there is just a slight majority of male student
completions among general business degrees, finance has a particularly high
percentage of degree conferrals to men (at nearly 70 percent).
Among liberal arts and social sciences majors, political science, history, and
economics are the most popular among male students.
Multiple types of engineering appear in the list, and they are all particularly popular
among men. Most notably, nearly 88 percent of mechanical engineering graduates are
male. Computer science has a similar imbalance of male and female students.
Criminal justice and sports and fitness administration/teaching and coaching are also
more popular among men, though only slightly in the former case.
Figure 1.4: Top 20 Most Popular Undergraduate Majors for Men
(by Completions Volume) Nationally, 2013
MAJOR

52.0201 Business Administration and Management, General
52.0801 Finance, General
45.1001 Political Science and Government, General
54.0101 History, General
45.0601 Economics, General
14.1901 Mechanical Engineering
43.0104 Criminal Justice/Safety Studies
52.0101 Business/Commerce, General
14.1001 Electrical and Electronics Engineering
27.0101 Mathematics, General
14.0801 Civil Engineering, General
11.0701 Computer Science
11.0101 Computer and Information Sciences, General
43.0103 Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration
40.0501 Chemistry, General
38.0101 Philosophy
52.1201 Management Information Systems, General
52.0299 Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other
31.0504 Sport and Fitness Administration/Management
13.1314 Physical Education Teaching and Coaching

2013 COMPLETIONS
(MEN)
73,798
24,158
23,309
21,863
21,422
19,685
16,542
13,705
11,611
11,249
10,478
10,081
10,046
9,762
7,450
6,324
6,083
5,710
5,619
5,462

OVERALL
PERCENT MEN
51.8%
69.4%
55.4%
59.3%
69.3%
87.9%
51.3%
53.0%
88.1%
57.4%
78.7%
86.7%
83.9%
50.3%
52.5%
69.3%
73.2%
50.1%
73.7%
59.4%

Source: IPEDS16

16

“IPEDS Data Center.” Op. cit.

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REGIONAL DEGREE COMPLETIONS
Figure 1.5 displays the top 20 majors for men in the Mideast region in 2013.17 Some major
trends among male degree conferrals are as follows:





Accounting is relatively more popular among male students in the region, with 52.7
percent of degrees conferred to men (compared to 48.1 percent nationwide). Other
business-related degree completions, including finance with a strong male majority,
are comparable to the national trends.
Information science/studies programs, a subset of computer science, are
particularly popular among men in the region. 18 Male students received 77.3
percent of undergraduate degrees in these fields.
Figure 1.5: Top 20* Most Popular Undergraduate Majors for Men
(by Completions Volume) in the Mideast Region, 2013
MAJORS

52.0201 Business Administration and Management, General
52.0301 Accounting
52.0801 Finance, General
45.0601 Economics, General
54.0101 History, General
45.1001 Political Science and Government, General
14.1901 Mechanical Engineering
11.0401 Information Science/Studies
27.0101 Mathematics, General
11.0101 Computer and Information Sciences, General
43.0104 Criminal Justice/Safety Studies
43.0103 Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration
14.1001 Electrical and Electronics Engineering
14.0801 Civil Engineering, General
11.0701 Computer Science
31.0505 Kinesiology and Exercise Science
38.0101 Philosophy
30.9999 Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
40.0501 Chemistry, General
40.0801 Physics, General

2013 COMPLETIONS
(MEN)
10,592
5,483
4,978
4,977
4,609
4,602
3,429
2,396
2,305
2,235
2,178
2,045
1,984
1,475
1,384
1,258
1,231
1,213
1,200
1,026

OVERALL
PERCENT MEN
54.2%
52.7%
70.1%
67.9%
60.1%
54.7%
87.3%
77.3%
54.3%
84.5%
55.6%
52.7%
88.6%
76.7%
85.1%
51.5%
67.5%
51.6%
50.3%
78.9%

Source: IPEDS19
*Note that the major “Talmudic Studies,” which ranked 14th with 1,540 completions was removed from this figure, as
the programs awarding such degrees are almost exclusively open only to male students.

17

The states in the Mideast region are Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and
Pennsylvania.
18
“Detail for CIP Code 11.0401.” IPEDS Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), National Center for Education
Statistics. https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/cipdetail.aspx?y=55&cipid=88081
19
Ibid.

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PENNSYLVANIA DEGREE COMPLETIONS
Figure 1.6 shows the top 20 majors for men in Pennsylvania in 2013. Generally, the
percentage of degrees awarded to men in these fields is broadly similar to the region as a
whole, though business administration and accounting skew even further toward male
predominance than in the Mideast as a whole.
Figure 1.6: Top 20 Most Popular Undergraduate Majors for Men
(by Completions Volume) in Pennsylvania, 2013
MAJORS
52.0201 Business Administration and Management, General
52.0801 Finance, General
52.0301 Accounting
54.0101 History, General
45.1001 Political Science and Government, General
45.0601 Economics, General
14.1901 Mechanical Engineering
43.0104 Criminal Justice/Safety Studies
11.0401 Information Science/Studies
14.1001 Electrical and Electronics Engineering
27.0101 Mathematics, General
11.0101 Computer and Information Sciences, General
52.0101 Business/Commerce, General
14.0801 Civil Engineering, General
43.0103 Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration
31.0504 Sport and Fitness Administration/Management
11.0701 Computer Science
38.0101 Philosophy
14.0701 Chemical Engineering
40.0801 Physics, General

2013 COMPLETIONS
(MEN)
2,824
1,874
1,643
1,326
1,254
1,181
1,174
920
752
675
672
570
562
499
491
460
398
376
333
315

OVERALL
PERCENT MEN
55.6%
71.6%
58.2%
62.0%
57.4%
70.5%
87.6%
55.4%
76.7%
89.8%
54.4%
85.2%
56.5%
76.2%
56.3%
72.1%
82.9%
64.7%
64.7%
78.9%

Source: IPEDS20

20

Ibid.

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COMMON OCCUPATIONS FOR WOMEN
Figure 1.7 shows the 20 most common occupations for women and the most common
educational attainment level held by workers in each role based on data from the Institute
for Women’s Policy Research and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Together, these
occupations employ 42.1 percent of all women and 15.4 percent of all men in the labor
force. As suggested earlier in the report, education and health services professions are
especially popular among women with a bachelor’s degree. Also, financial manager is a
common occupation for women, despite the far larger number of current male finance
students. This may indicate a shift from the historical trends that shaped the majority of the
current labor force or that a specialized finance degree may not be needed to enter this
occupation.
Figure 1.7: 20 Most Common Occupations among Women (Full-time Workers)
SHARE OF FEMALE
OCCUPATION

WORKERS IN

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
Receptionists and Information Clerks
Registered Nurses
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
Nursing, Psychiatric, and Home Health Aides
Office Clerks, General
Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
Personal Care Aides
Elementary and Middle School Teachers
Social Workers
Cashiers
First-line Supervisors of Office & Administrative Support Workers
Customer Service Representatives
Waiters and Waitresses
Accountants and Auditors
Secondary School Teachers
Financial Managers
First-line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers
Retail Salespersons
Managers, All Other

OCCUPATION
94.7%
91.9%
88.8%
87.3%
86.7%
86.2%
82.5%
82.0%
80.1%
79.7%
69.0%
67.7%
66.1%
63.2%
62.3%
55.3%
54.4%
42.3%
40.3%
37.2%

TYPICAL EDUCATION IN
THE WORKFORCE
High school
Some college
Bachelor’s degree
Some college
High school
Some college
High school
High school
Bachelor’s degree
Bachelor’s degree
High school
Some college
Some college
High school
Bachelor’s degree
Bachelor’s degree
Bachelor’s degree
High school
High school
Bachelor’s degree

Source: Institute for Women’s Policy Research21

DEGREE COMPLETIONS FOR WOMEN
Figures 1.8 through 1.10 detail the 20 majors at the national, regional, and state levels that
attract the largest numbers of women. Similar to the section for men, the listed majors
include only those where female students accounted for at least 50 percent of the
bachelor’s degrees conferred in 2013. For additional information on the methodology used
to make these selections, see Appendix I.
21

“The Gender Wage Gap by Occupation 2013.” Op. cit. p. 2.

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NATIONAL DEGREE COMPLETIONS
Figure 1.8 shows the top 20 majors for women based on 2013 degree completions data,
selected using the criteria described earlier. Some major trends among degree conferrals to
women are include:






Registered nursing and psychology, as suggested earlier, are the two degrees most
frequently pursued by women.
The highest percentage of women, however, is found in early childhood and
elementary education and teaching. More than 90 percent of 2013 graduates in
both of these degree categories are women. Women also accounted for 88.6
percent of graduates in special education, the 21st most popular major for women.
Biology attracts the third-largest number of female students, making it the STEM
field most popular among women. In the business world, marketing/marketing
management is the largest majority-female major.
Figure 1.8: Top 20 Most Popular Undergraduate Majors for Women
(by Completions Volume) Nationally, 2013
MAJORS

51.3801 Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
42.0101 Psychology, General
26.0101 Biology/Biological Sciences, General
13.1202 Elementary Education and Teaching
23.0101 English Language and Literature, General
52.0301 Accounting
45.1101 Sociology
09.0101 Speech Communication and Rhetoric
24.0101 Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
30.9999 Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
52.1401 Marketing/Marketing Management, General
44.0701 Social Work
13.1210 Early Childhood Education and Teaching
31.0505 Kinesiology and Exercise Science
50.0701 Art/Art Studies, General
16.0905 Spanish Language and Literature
24.0102 General Studies
45.0201 Anthropology
09.0401 Journalism
50.0702 Fine/Studio Arts, General

2013 COMPLETIONS
(WOMEN)
91,628
87,050
41,776
34,186
31,575
27,376
23,938
21,096
18,056
17,609
17,296
16,850
13,202
9,916
9,673
9,353
8,857
8,711
8,506
7,615

OVERALL PERCENT
WOMEN
87.6%
76.4%
60.4%
90.6%
69.7%
51.9%
69.8%
64.8%
67.1%
68.0%
52.3%
88.2%
96.3%
51.3%
70.6%
74.3%
59.1%
71.3%
67.6%
69.5%

Source: IPEDS22

22

“IPEDS Data Center.” Op. cit.

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REGIONAL DEGREE COMPLETIONS
Figure 1.9 displays the top 20 majors for women in the Mideast region in 2013.23 Some
major trends among female degree conferrals in the region are as follows:




Unlike at the national level, there are more female psychology graduates than
registered nursing graduates. However, the percentage female for each major are
roughly the same at the regional and national levels.
Top majors with a notably larger portion of female completions in the Mideast
region than the United States as a whole include Spanish language and literature,
art/art studios; and anthropology.
Figure 1.9: Top 20 Most Popular Undergraduate Majors for Women
(by Completions Volume) in the Mideast Region, 2013
CIP CODE

42.0101 Psychology, General
51.3801 Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
26.0101 Biology/Biological Sciences, General
23.0101 English Language and Literature, General
13.1202 Elementary Education and Teaching
45.1101 Sociology
09.0101 Speech Communication and Rhetoric
24.0101 Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
52.1401 Marketing/Marketing Management, General
44.0701 Social Work
52.0101 Business/Commerce, General
45.0901 International Relations and Affairs
13.1210 Early Childhood Education and Teaching
13.1001 Special Education and Teaching, General
50.0701 Art/Art Studies, General
45.0101 Social Sciences, General
50.0501 Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General
45.0201 Anthropology
16.0905 Spanish Language and Literature
09.0401 Journalism

2013 COMPLETIONS
(WOMEN)
17,305
12,189
7,440
6,602
5,412
4,285
3,865
3,628
2,501
2,369
2,173
1,737
1,723
1,700
1,522
1,496
1,466
1,457
1,450
1,428

OVERALL PERCENT
WOMEN
77.7%
87.9%
61.3%
71.4%
90.0%
71.7%
63.4%
60.5%
52.1%
87.5%
52.3%
60.9%
95.8%
90.7%
74.0%
65.8%
65.5%
74.6%
78.8%
67.0%

Source: IPEDS24

23

The states in the Mideast region are Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and
Pennsylvania.
24
Ibid.

© 2015 Hanover Research

13

Hanover Research | June 2015

PENNSYLVANIA DEGREE COMPLETIONS
Figure 1.10 shows the top 20 majors for women in Pennsylvania in 2013. Generally, the
percentages of degrees awarded to women are broadly similar to the region as a whole,
though speech communication and rhetoric and journalism are proportionally more
popular degrees. Also notable, women account for just over half of chemistry graduates,
which is a relatively less common occurrence in the physical sciences.
Figure 1.10: Top 20 Most Popular Undergraduate Majors for Women
(by Completions Volume) in Pennsylvania, 2013
MAJORS
42.0101 Psychology, General
51.3801 Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
26.0101 Biology/Biological Sciences, General
13.1202 Elementary Education and Teaching
23.0101 English Language and Literature, General
52.1401 Marketing/Marketing Management, General
13.1210 Early Childhood Education and Teaching
09.0101 Speech Communication and Rhetoric
45.1101 Sociology
44.0701 Social Work
24.0101 Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
16.0905 Spanish Language and Literature
13.1001 Special Education and Teaching, General
50.0701 Art/Art Studies, General
45.0201 Anthropology
40.0501 Chemistry, General
09.0401 Journalism
31.0505 Kinesiology and Exercise Science
09.0903 Advertising
50.0501 Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General

2013 COMPLETIONS
(WOMEN)
4283
4201
2254
1970
1657
1119
1030
887
862
746
698
563
513
433
421
418
416
415
409
382

OVERALL PERCENT
WOMEN
76.7%
88.6%
62.1%
88.3%
71.1%
50.4%
94.7%
57.6%
69.4%
88.1%
60.4%
77.9%
91.0%
75.7%
76.5%
50.3%
63.6%
50.2%
77.6%
67.6%

Source: IPEDS25

25

Ibid.

© 2015 Hanover Research

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Hanover Research | June 2015

SECTION II: TOP ACADEMIC AREAS OF INTEREST
FOR MINORITY GROUPS
In this section, Hanover examines undergraduate degree completions trends for the largest
two minority groups—African-Americans and Hispanics—at the national, regional, and state
levels. This section also includes an analysis of broad trends in specific educational demand
among these minority groups.

PROGRAM AREAS BY RACE/ETHNICITY
NCES data indicate that minority enrollment in higher education is increasing at a faster rate
than white enrollment, meaning that minority enrollment as a percentage of total
enrollments is increasing. As shown in Figure 2.1, the share of enrolled Hispanic students
increased from 4 to 13 percent, while the share of enrolled African-American students
increased from 10 to 14 percent. Consequently, enrollments among white students have
declined from 82 percent to 63 percent. This suggests that minority students, particularly
African-Americans and Hispanics, are an important target market for institutions seeking to
increase enrollment.
Figure 2.1: Percentage Distribution of Enrollment among Ethnic Groups, 1976-2008
90
White

80

70

Black/African-American

60
Hispanic

50
40

Asian/Pacific Islander

30
American Indian/Alaskan
Native

20
10

Nonresident alien

0
1976

1980

1990

2000

RACIAL GROUP
White
Black/African-American
Hispanic
Asian/Pacific Islander
American Indian/Alaskan Native
Nonresident Alien

2003
1976
82.2
10.0
3.7
1.8
0.7
1.5

2005

2008

1980
81.0
9.7
4.1
2.4
0.7
2.0

1990
77.5
9.6
6.1
4.2
0.8
1.8

2000
68.3
11.8
10.3
6.4
1.1
2.2

2003
66.7
12.7
10.9
6.4
1.1
2.2

2005
65.7
13.1
11.6
6.5
1.1
2.1

2008
63.2
13.9
12.9
6.8
1.1
2.2

Source: National Center for Education Statistics26
26

“Status and Trends in the Education of Racial and Ethnic Minorities.” Op. cit.

© 2015 Hanover Research

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Hanover Research | June 2015

According to a report from Georgetown University that evaluated data from the U.S. Census
Bureau, college majors are “highly segregated by race and gender.” While college graduates
as a whole earn more over their lifetimes than those without a college education, earnings
vary depending on majors. Minority groups are underrepresented among the majors that
lead to the most profitable careers, while “white men are concentrated in the highestearning majors, including engineering and pharmaceutical sciences.” The study noted that
“law and public policy” has the highest concentrations of African-Americans and Hispanics
(14 and 10 percent, respectively) when compared to other fields of study.27
A 2009 study from the University of Maryland analyzed initial major choices at three Texas
institutions of higher education and discovered distinct trends among different racial and
ethnic groups. The study found that African-American and Hispanic males are less likely to
study engineering and computer science than white and Asian men. African-American men
are also more likely to be undecided and pursuing general studies. African-American and
Hispanic women “are more likely to choose a major in the social sciences.”28 Figure 2.2
shows the full set of findings. Note that, overall, “[these] effects are much larger for gender
than they are for race and ethnicity.” That is, the study found that gender is a stronger
predictor of enrollment in certain subjects than race or ethnicity.29
Figure 2.2: Major Choices by Race and Ethnicity
GROUP

White male
Black male
Hispanic male
Asian male
Other male
White female
Black female
Hispanic female
Asian female
Other female

NATURAL/
ENGINEERING/
SOCIAL
HUMANITIES/
PHYSICAL
BUSINESS
COMPUTER
SCIENCES
OTHER
SCIENCES
SCIENCE
Major Choices for Males by Race and Ethnicity
11.6%
14.0%
10.1%
26.0%
8.6%
13.1%
13.1%
8.9%
25.4%
5.8%
19.2%
12.3%
11.4%
23.2%
11.2%
18.4%
10.5%
4.1%
37.1%
4.8%
19.2%
12.4%
9.5%
28.4%
10.2%
Major Choices for Females by Race and Ethnicity
16.2%
12.6%
15.8%
5.5%
15.7%
22.1%
13.3%
17.4%
8.1%
9.1%
26.9%
12.2%
17.5%
5.4%
15.1%
23.7%
14.8%
9.1%
11.0%
9.9%
28.5%
12.1%
16.4%
7.5%
14.9%

UNDECIDED

29.8%
33.9%
22.7%
25.0%
20.3%
34.3%
30.1%
22.8%
31.7%
20.6%

Source: Dickson30

DEGREE COMPLETIONS FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS
Figures 2.3 through 2.5 present the 20 majors at the national, regional, and state levels that
attract the greatest numbers of African-Americans. The selection of majors only includes
those for which the percentage of African-American completions exceeded their average
27

“Study: College Majors are Highly Segregated by Race, Gender.” News One for Black America, May 24, 2011.
http://newsone.com/1252915/college-majors-highly-segregated-by-race-and-gender/
28
Dickson, Op. cit.
29
Ibid. Abstract.
30
Ibid. p. 20.

© 2015 Hanover Research

16

Hanover Research | June 2015

across all majors (9.4 percent nationally, 10.4 percent in the Mideast, and 7 percent in
Pennsylvania). 31 For additional information on the methodology used to make these
selections, see Appendix I.

NATIONAL DEGREE COMPLETIONS
Figure 2.3 presents the top 20 majors for African-Americans in 2013 based on the
mentioned criteria. Some areas of note include:





Health care-related subjects are most disproportionately populated by AfricanAmerican students, who account for over 25 percent of undergraduate health care
administration and hospital administration degree conferrals.
The proportion of African-Americans pursuing general business degrees is aboveaverage, with three general business undergraduate degree programs in the top 20.
Criminal justice, law enforcement administration, social work, sociology, and
human services are another significant grouping of degree programs with high
African-American student representation.
Figure 2.3: Top 20 Most Popular Majors for African-Americans
(by Completions Volume) Nationally, 2013
MAJORS

All Majors
Business Administration and Management, General
Psychology, General
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
Criminal Justice/Safety Studies
Sociology
Social Work
Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
Business/Commerce, General
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
General Studies
Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other
Health/Health Care Administration/Management
Early Childhood Education and Teaching
Mass Communication/Media Studies
Human Services, General
Social Sciences, General
Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration,
General
Physical Education Teaching and Coaching
Hospital and Health Care Facilities
Administration/Management
Source: IPEDS
31

AFRICAN-AMERICAN
COMPLETIONS (2013)
183,976
18,456
12,841
10,464
6,209
5,788
4,090
3,656
3,198
3,113
3,104
2,565
2,237
2,157
1,777
1,524
1,486
1,311

OVERALL PERCENT
AFRICAN-AMERICAN
9.4%
13.0%
11.3%
10.0%
19.3%
16.9%
21.4%
18.8%
12.4%
12.0%
11.5%
17.1%
19.6%
25.0%
13.0%
16.0%
21.3%
13.5%

1,274

17.0%

1,121

12.2%

1,108

27.5%

32

“IPEDS Data Center.” Op. cit.

© 2015 Hanover Research

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Hanover Research | June 2015

REGIONAL DEGREE COMPLETIONS
Figure 2.4 displays the top 20 majors for African-Americans in the Mideast region in 2013,
selected on the same criteria. Main takeaways from this section include:





Over 25 percent of degrees in community organization and advocacy degree
programs were awarded to African-American students. This degree is related to the
sociology and social work programs that are popular nationally and in the region as
well.
Health professions and related clinical sciences and registered nursing programs in
the region report African-American degree completions considerably above the
average figure, though the former field is quite small overall.
Figure 2.4: Top 20 Most Popular Majors for African-Americans
(by Completions Volume) in the Mideast Region, 2013
MAJORS

All Majors
Business Administration and Management, General
Psychology, General
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
Sociology
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
Political Science and Government, General
Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration
Business/Commerce, General
Social Work
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
Criminal Justice/Safety Studies
Information Science/Studies
Journalism
Social Sciences, General
Community Organization and Advocacy
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
Human Services, General
Mass Communication/Media Studies
Early Childhood Education and Teaching

2013 COMPLETIONS
(AFRICAN-AMERICANS)
34,487
2,807
2,729
2,045
1,208
942
892
771
705
674
669
606
475
346
323
269
256
239
228
227
188

OVERALL PERCENT
AFRICAN-AMERICAN
10.4%
14.4%
12.3%
14.7%
20.2%
15.7%
10.6%
19.9%
17.0%
24.9%
11.0%
15.5%
15.3%
16.2%
14.2%
27.7%
10.9%
16.6%
33.4%
13.9%
10.5%

Source: IPEDS33

32
33

“IPEDS Data Center.” Op. cit.
“IPEDS Data Center.” Op. cit.

© 2015 Hanover Research

18

Hanover Research | June 2015

PENNSYLVANIA DEGREE COMPLETIONS
Figure 2.5 shows the top 20 majors for African-Americans in Pennsylvania in 2013. Most
notable are the large African-American student populations in human services, public
health education, and substance abuse counseling.
Figure 2.5: Top 20 Most Popular Majors for African-Americans
(by Completions Volume) in Pennsylvania, 2013
MAJORS
All Majors
Business Administration and Management, General
Psychology, General
Criminal Justice/Safety Studies
Sociology
Political Science and Government, General
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
Social Work
Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration
Early Childhood Education and Teaching
Business/Commerce, General
Human Services, General
Journalism
Public Health Education and Promotion
Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling
Religion/Religious Studies
Bible/Biblical Studies
Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration,
General
Criminology
Social Sciences, General

2013 COMPLETIONS
(AFRICAN-AMERICANS)
6,800
551
435
226
183
167
161
145
131
108
107
102
102
78
62
56
55
52

OVERALL PERCENT
AFRICAN-AMERICAN
7.0%
10.8%
7.8%
13.6%
14.7%
7.6%
13.9%
9.4%
15.5%
12.4%
9.8%
10.3%
41.8%
11.9%
47.7%
50.9%
13.0%
14.5%

49

13.8%

47
47

9.6%
20.4%

Source: IPEDS34

DEGREE COMPLETIONS FOR HISPANICS
Figures 2.6 through 2.8 include data for the top 20 majors at the national, regional, and
state levels that attract the greatest numbers and concentrations of Hispanic students. The
figures only include majors where the percentage of Hispanic completers is greater than the
average for this group across all majors at the specified geographic level: 9.4 percent
nationally, 8.1 percent in the Mideast region, and 3.9 percent in Pennsylvania.35 Appendix I
includes additional information on the methodology used to make these selections.

34
35

“IPEDS Data Center.” Op. cit.
“IPEDS Data Center.” Op. cit.

© 2015 Hanover Research

19

Hanover Research | June 2015

NATIONAL DEGREE COMPLETIONS
Figure 2.6 presents the top 20 majors for Hispanics in 2013, selected based on the criteria
outlined earlier. Some evident trends among Hispanic degree conferrals include:





Spanish language and literature is by far the most disproportionately popular major
among Hispanic students.
A cluster of internationally-focused majors (international business, international
affairs, and political science) are also disproportionately popular, which may be
related to higher rates of second-language capability among Hispanic students.
Criminal justice, criminology, and sociology are another significant grouping of
degree programs for Hispanic students.
Figure 2.6: Top 20 Most Popular Majors for Hispanics
(by Completions Volume) Nationally, 2013
MAJORS

All Majors
Business Administration and Management, General
Psychology, General
Sociology
Political Science and Government, General
Criminal Justice/Safety Studies
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
Spanish Language and Literature
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration
Social Work
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Art/Art Studies, General
Anthropology
Early Childhood Education and Teaching
International Business/Trade/Commerce
Business Administration, Management and Operations,
Other
Civil Engineering, General
International Relations and Affairs
Criminology
Fine/Studio Arts, General

HISPANIC COMPLETIONS
(2013)
184,452
14,241
14,103
5,641
5,004
4,886
3,911
3,502
3,436
2,881
2,145
1,857
1,466
1,457
1,431
1,407

OVERALL PERCENT
HISPANIC
9.4%
10.0%
12.4%
16.4%
11.9%
15.2%
15.1%
27.8%
12.8%
14.8%
11.2%
9.6%
10.7%
11.9%
10.4%
20.7%

1,387

12.2%

1,343
1,343
1,111
1,058

10.1%
12.3%
15.0%
9.7%

Source: IPEDS36

36

“IPEDS Data Center.” Op. cit.

© 2015 Hanover Research

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Hanover Research | June 2015

REGIONAL DEGREE COMPLETIONS
Figure 2.7 displays the top 20 majors for Hispanics in the Mideast region in 2013. Notable
highlights include:




Forensic psychology has a high percentage of Hispanic students, adding a new
approach to the criminal justice/criminology cluster.
Community organization and advocacy also emerges on this list, further expanding
the related sociology and social work degree cluster with a high population of
Hispanic students.
Figure 2.7: Top 20 Most Popular Majors for Hispanics
(by Completions Volume) in the Mideast Region, 2013
MAJORS

All Majors
Psychology, General
Business Administration and Management, General
Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration
Sociology
English Language and Literature, General
Political Science and Government, General
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
Spanish Language and Literature
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
Criminal Justice/Safety Studies
Social Work
Information Science/Studies
International Relations and Affairs
Social Sciences, General
International Business/Trade/Commerce
Fine/Studio Arts, General
Criminology
Anthropology
Forensic Psychology
Community Organization and Advocacy

2013 COMPLETIONS
(HISPANICS)
26,981
2,368
1,693
884
848
814
749
554
525
518
362
325
256
243
235
211
196
189
186
171
156

OVERALL PERCENT
HISPANIC
8.1%
10.6%
8.7%
22.8%
14.2%
8.8%
8.9%
9.2%
28.5%
8.5%
9.2%
12.0%
8.3%
8.5%
10.3%
14.3%
9.9%
11.9%
9.5%
42.2%
16.0%

Source: IPEDS37

37

“IPEDS Data Center.” Op. cit.

© 2015 Hanover Research

21

Hanover Research | June 2015

PENNSYLVANIA DEGREE COMPLETIONS
Figure 2.8 shows the top 20 majors for Hispanics in Pennsylvania in 2013. Here, graphic
design, advertising, and sports management emerge on the top 20 list, though degree
volumes are all relatively low.
Figure 2.8: Top 20 Most Popular Majors for Hispanics
(by Completions Volume) in Pennsylvania, 2013
MAJORS
Grand Total
Psychology, General
Political Science and Government, General
Spanish Language and Literature
Marketing/Marketing Management, General
Criminal Justice/Safety Studies
Sociology
Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration
Information Science/Studies
International Business/Trade/Commerce
Business/Commerce, General
Social Work
Graphic Design
Journalism
International Relations and Affairs
Philosophy
Civil Engineering, General
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General
Fine/Studio Arts, General
Advertising
Sport and Fitness Administration/Management

2013 COMPLETIONS
(HISPANICS)
3,822
267
106
96
92
82
72
64
62
51
44
40
36
34
33
30
28
28
28
27
26

OVERALL PERCENT
HISPANIC
3.9%
4.8%
4.9%
13.3%
4.1%
4.9%
5.8%
7.3%
6.3%
9.2%
4.4%
4.7%
6.3%
5.2%
5.9%
5.2%
4.3%
5.0%
6.2%
5.1%
4.1%

Source: IPEDS38

38

“IPEDS Data Center.” Op. cit.

© 2015 Hanover Research

22

Hanover Research | June 2015

SECTION III: TOP ACADEMIC AREAS OF INTEREST
BY AGE
In this section, Hanover discusses undergraduate degree completions trends by age group,
specifically focusing on degrees that are more popular among traditional college-aged
students (those ages 18 to 24). This section also includes a brief discussion of occupational
projections for the fastest growing jobs in the United States because students may be
attracted to degree programs that relate to these careers.

PROGRAM AREAS BY AGE
IPEDS data detailing 2013 undergraduate enrollments by age group appear in Figure 3.1. As
the data show, traditionally aged students (i.e., those aged 18-24) still account for a
considerable majority of students, with 63.3 percent of total undergraduate enrollment.
Institutions seeking to maximize enrollments may first want to ensure that they are
attracting as many of these students as they can, considering that they account for the
largest segment of the market. The remainder of this section discusses majors and fields
that are more popular among younger, traditional students.
Figure 3.1: Percentage of Total Enrollment by Age Group, 2013
AGE GROUP
Age 18-19
Age 20-21
Age 22-24
Age 25-29
Age 30-34
Age 35-39
Age 40-49
Age 50-64
Age 65 and older
Age under 18
Grand Total

2013 ENROLLMENT
4,340,295
4,127,651
2,894,771
2,039,270
1,221,071
792,438
1,031,849
544,004
57,000
898,525
17,946,874

PERCENT OF TOTAL
24.2%
23.0%
16.1%
11.4%
6.8%
4.4%
5.7%
3.0%
0.3%
5.0%
100.0%

Source: IPEDS39

ACT COLLEGE CHOICE REPORT
Data from the ACT College Choice Report helps illuminate the majors that are popular
among students of traditional college age. When high school students register for the ACT,
they may select a planned major upon enrollment, and in 2013, 79 percent did so (another
15 percent indicated being undecided). Slightly more female students than male students
(82 percent compared to 77 percent) selected a planned major.40 Of note, 50 percent of all

39
40

“IPEDS Data Center.” Op. cit.
“College Choice Report: High School Class of 2013: Planned Major Status.” ACT College Choice Report.
http://www.act.org/collegechoice/13/plannedmajorstatus.html

© 2015 Hanover Research

23

Hanover Research | June 2015

students, regardless of gender, said that “the availability of a particular college major or
program of study [is the] most important factor in selecting a college.”41
Figure 3.2 displays the planned majors for the high school graduating class of 2013. Health
sciences are the most popular among women, while the two most popular planned majors
for men are engineering and business. This suggests that the degree completion trends
identified in Section I remain true for incoming students.
Figure 3.2: Planned Majors for ACT Takers in 2013
PLANNED MAJOR AREA
Health Sciences and Technologies
Social Sciences and Law
Arts: Visual and Performing
Education
Business
Sciences: Biological and Physical
Health Administration and Assisting
Community, Family, and Personal Services
Communications
Engineering
English and Foreign Languages
Ag. and Natural Resources Conservation
Computer Science and Mathematics
Architecture
Philosophy, Religion, and Theology
Engineering Technology and Drafting
Area, Ethnic, and Multidisciplinary Studies
Repair, Production, and Construction

OVERALL
PERCENTAGE OF
TEST-TAKERS
24.0%
11.0%
7.0%
7.0%
11.0%
6.0%
5.0%
4.0%
2.0%
9.0%
1.0%
2.0%
3.0%
2.0%
0.7%
2.0%
0.1%
1.0%

FEMALE
TEST-TAKERS

MALE
TEST-TAKERS

32.0%
11.0%
9.0%
9.0%
9.0%
9.0%
6.0%
4.0%
3.0%
3.0%
2.0%
2.0%
0.9%
0.9%
0.4%
0.3%
0.2%
0.1%

14.0%
8.0%
8.0%
4.0%
15.0%
7.0%
2.0%
3.0%
2.0%
17.0%
0.8%
3.0%
6.0%
2.0%
0.8%
4.0%
0.1%
3.0%

Source: ACT College Choice Report42

41

“College Choice Report: High School Class of 2013: Key Findings.” ACT College Choice Report.
http://www.act.org/collegechoice/13/p1-findings.html
42
[1] “College Choice Report: High School Class of 2013: Best-Fitting Major.” ACT College Choice Report.
http://www.act.org/collegechoice/13/bestfit.html [2] “College Choice Report: High School Class of 2013: Choice
of Planned Major.” ACT College Choice Report. http://www.act.org/collegechoice/13/plannedmajorchoice.html

© 2015 Hanover Research

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Hanover Research | June 2015

The ACT report also followed the high school class of 2013 through their first year of college.
In total, 39 percent declared a major in their first year.43 The selection of students at fouryear institutions and their declared majors is presented in Figure 3.3. As the data show, the
planned major area did not always translate to the declared major area, with more majors
than initially planned occurring in biological and physical sciences, business, and
community, family, and personal services. The number of declared health sciences and
technologies majors is just half of those who planned to major in the subject—it is unclear if
these students are simply later to declare majors in general or if they have switched to an
undergraduate focus in the life sciences (which would help to explain the large increase
seen in biological and physical sciences).
Figure 3.3: Planned and Declared Majors for ACT Test Takers in 2013
AREA OF STUDY
Health Sciences and Technologies
Business
Engineering
Social Sciences and Law
Sciences: Biological and Physical
Arts: Visual and Performing
Education
Communications
Computer Science and Mathematics
Health Administration and Assisting
Community, Family, and Personal Services
Agriculture and Natural Resources Conservation
English and Foreign Languages
Architecture
Engineering Technology and Drafting
Philosophy, Religion, and Theology
Repair, Production, & Construction
Area, Ethnic, and Multidisciplinary Studies

PLANNED MAJOR AREA
25%
12%
12%
10%
10%
7%
6%
3%
3%
3%
2%
2%
2%
1%
1%
0.5%
0.4%
0.1%

DECLARED MAJOR
13%
15%
12%
10%
16%
6%
6%
4%
4%
1%
7%
2%
2%
1%
1%
0.5%
0.5%
0.1%

Source: ACT College Choice Report44

43

The analysis excludes students who selected Liberal and General Studies and other vague majors, as some colleges
will automatically declare students to “General Studies” until they actually do select a major. For this and other
notes, see: “College Choice Report: High School Class of 2013: Technical Notes.” ACT College Choice Report.
http://www.act.org/collegechoice/13/p2-technotes.html
44
“College Choice Report: High School Class of 2013: Consistency of College Major.” ACT College Choice Report.
http://www.act.org/collegechoice/13/p2-consistency.html

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Hanover Research | June 2015

Overall, 57 percent of students who indicated a planned major also declared the same
major in their first year at a four-year institution. When students wait until their second year
to declare a major, this “consistency rate” falls to 49 percent. The consistency rate is highest
among business, engineering, construction, and health sciences students (Figure 3.4). The
overall rate is the same for both male and female students, but women are more likely to be
consistently interested in health administration and education, while men are more likely to
both plan to major and declare a major in philosophy or engineering.45
Figure 3.4: Percentage of ACT Test-Takers Ultimately
Following a Planned Major, by Major Area
PLANNED MAJOR AREA
Business
Engineering
Repair, Production, and Construction
Health Sciences and Technologies
Arts: Visual and Performing
Agriculture and Natural Resources Conservation
Computer Science and Mathematics
Communications
Education
Sciences: Biological and Physical
Social Sciences and Law
Community, Family, and Personal Services
English and Foreign Languages
Philosophy, Religion, and Theology
Architecture
Engineering Technology and Drafting
Area, Ethnic, and Multidisciplinary Studies
Health Administration and Assisting

CONSISTENCY RATE
63%
56%
56%
55%
50%
49%
48%
47%
46%
44%
42%
41%
40%
31%
22%
14%
8%
5%

Source: ACT College Choice Report46

COMMON OCCUPATIONS FOR COLLEGE GRADUATES
Academic area demand among traditional students may be driven by the labor market. This
final section uses Bureau of Labor Statistics data to indicate the occupations with the
greatest projected job growth.

45

[1] Ibid. [2] “College Choice Report: High School Class of 2013: Planned-Declared Major Consistency.” ACT College
Choice Report. http://www.act.org/collegechoice/13/p3-major-consistency.html
46
Ibid.

© 2015 Hanover Research

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Hanover Research | June 2015

Figure 3.5 shows the occupations with the largest volume and highest rates of projected job
growth from 2012 to 2022 nationally, including only those occupations that generally
require some postsecondary undergraduate education for entry (an associate’s degree, a
non-degree award, or a bachelor’s degree). The majority of positions shown are in the
health care fields, and education, computer science, and business are also well represented.
These occupational projections suggest that the most common majors correspond to
opportunities in the labor market.
Figure 3.5: Fastest-Growing Occupations, Volume and Percentage Growth, 2012-2022
Numbers in Thousands
OCCUPATION
Total, All Occupations
Registered nurses

EMPLOYMENT
CHANGE, 2012-22
2012
2022
NUMBER
PERCENT
145,355.8 160,983.7 15,628.0
10.8
Highest volume growth
2,711.5
3,238.4
526.8
19.4

EDUCATION
REQUIRED
n/a
Associate’s
Postsecondary
non-degree
Bachelor’s
Postsecondary
non-degree

Nursing assistants

1,479.8

1,792.0

312.2

21.1

General and operations managers
Licensed practical and licensed
vocational nurses
Elementary school teachers,
except special education
Accountants and auditors

1,972.7

2,216.8

244.1

12.4

738.4

921.3

182.9

24.8

1,361.2

1,529.1

167.9

12.3

Bachelor’s

1,275.4

1,442.2

166.7

13.1

Medical assistants

560.8

723.7

162.9

29.0

139.9
133.8

22.8
18.6

Bachelor’s
Postsecondary
non-degree
Bachelor’s
Bachelor’s

29.3
27.0
12.9
0.9
29.3

46.1
46.0
42.6
41.2
41.0

Software developers, applications
Management analysts
Interpreters and translators
Diagnostic medical sonographers
Occupational therapy assistants
Genetic counselors
Physical therapist assistants

613.0
752.9
718.7
852.5
Highest rate of growth
63.6
92.9
58.8
85.9
30.3
43.2
2.1
3.0
71.4
100.7

Skincare specialists

44.4

62.0

17.7

39.8

Information security analysts
Meeting, convention, and event
planners
Therapists, all other
Market research analysts and
marketing specialists

75.1

102.5

27.4

36.5

Bachelor’s
Associate’s
Associate’s
Master’s
Associate’s
Postsecondary
non-degree
Bachelor’s

94.2

125.4

31.3

33.2

Bachelor’s

28.8

37.9

9.1

31.7

Bachelor’s

415.7

547.2

131.5

31.6

Bachelor’s

Source: BLS47

47

“Occupational employment, job openings and worker characteristics.” Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment
Projections. http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_table_107.htm

© 2015 Hanover Research

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Hanover Research | June 2015

APPENDIX I: REPORT METHODOLOGY
All U.S. institutions that receive or apply for Title IV federal funding report degree conferrals
annually, classified by Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code, to the NCES’
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).48 IPEDS degree completions data
provide a way to assess the market for an academic program, but the data do have some
limitations. In particular, there is no single standard for classifying degree programs. While
descriptions exist for each CIP code, institutions classify their degree programs
independently. Thus, two institutions may classify virtually identical programs under
different CIP codes. Accordingly, the data for any specific CIP code may not capture all
relevant completions.
For this report, Hanover analyzed the number of degree completions in 2013 by major,
gender, and race or ethnicity, as each institution reports this information to IPEDS. Then,
Hanover ranked the data according to the largest number of degree completions for each
demographic subgroup analyzed. Rankings are presented for the United States as a whole;
the Mideast region (which includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New
Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania); and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
To determine the percentage of total completions for each major accounted for by each
demographic subgroup, Hanover compared the total number of completions to the number
of reported completions for that demographic. The spreadsheet accompanying this report,
“Completions Data Supplement,” contains the top 40 such majors for each demographic
subgroup. The number of completions in 2013 for each subgroup is presented in descending
order, accompanied by the percentage of total completions from within that particular
subgroup.

48

“IPEDS Data Center.” Op. cit.

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Figure A1.1 shows an example of the process used to narrow the top 40 majors to the top
20. In the Mideast region in 2013, 2,807 African-Americans completed bachelor’s degrees
reported as CIP code 52.0201, “Business Administration and Management, General.” A total
of 19,540 completions under that CIP code in the region were recorded that year, meaning
that African-Americans accounted for 14.4 percent of the total number of degree
completions. Hanover used the same method to determine the percentage of AfricanAmerican completions overall, including under all CIP codes (10.4 percent). Therefore, any
program with a value above 10.4 percent has an above-average number of AfricanAmericans, the criterion for inclusion in Sections I and II. In the example below, three of the
majors show an above-average number, while two did not.
Figure A1.1: Example of Report Methodology
MAJOR
All Majors
Business Administration
and Management, General
Psychology, General
Registered Nursing/
Registered Nurse
Biology/Biological
Sciences, General
Accounting

332,267

2013 COMPLETIONS
(AFRICANAMERICANS)
34,487

PERCENT
AFRICANAMERICAN
10.4%

ABOVE
AVERAGE/
INCLUDED?
n/a

19,540

2,807

14.4%

Yes

22,276

2,729

12.3%

Yes

13,874

2,045

14.7%

Yes

12,128

1,164

9.6%

No

8,415

949

9.1%

No

2013 REGIONAL
COMPLETIONS

Source: IPEDS49

49

“IPEDS Data Center.” Op. cit.

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Hanover Research | June 2015

APPENDIX II: ECOTOURISM
Ecotourism appears to be a relatively new degree field; only five institutions in the United
States recorded completions at the bachelor’s degree level in 2013. The overall number of
national completions from 2010 to 2013 has increased, but drawing conclusions based on
these preliminary data indicators is difficult due to the small number of conferrals.
Additional research would be required to better understand demand for this type of
program.
Figure A2.1 details the CIP code that best corresponds to ecotourism, “Natural Resource
Recreation and Tourism,” which was created in 2010. As seen in Figure A2.2, five institutions
nationwide offer ecotourism undergraduate programs, and none are located in the Mideast
region. The gender distribution within the degree program is majority male, as shown in
Figure A2.3.
Figure A2.1: Ecotourism NCES CIP Code
CIP
CODE

03.0207

CIP TITLE

DESCRIPTION

Natural
Resource
Recreation
and Tourism

A program that prepares individuals to plan, develop, and manage tourism
in a natural resource setting, with an emphasis on applying environmentally
sound, culturally sensitive, and economically sustainable principles. Includes
instruction in environmental studies; natural resource management and
interpretation; tourism planning, management, and policies; public land use
management and policies; communications; marketing; and public relations.
[Ecotourism is among the examples.]

Source: IPEDS50

Figure A2.2: Ecotourism Bachelor’s Degree Completions, 2009-2013
AWARD LEVEL
National Completions
Central Lakes College-Brainerd
Colorado State University-Ft. Collins
University of Georgia
University of Idaho
University of Vermont

2009
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a

2010
33
0
0
12
0
21

2011
58
1
0
13
28
16

2012
48
15
0
8
12
13

2013
74
5
7
22
10
30

Source: IPEDS51

Figure A2.3: Ecotourism Degree Completions by Gender, 2009-2013
CATEGORY
Total Completions
Male Completions
Male Percent
Female Completions
Female Percent

2009
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a

2010
33
24
72.7%
9
27.3%

2011
58
40
69.0%
18
31.0%

2012
48
35
72.9%
13
27.1%

2013
74
49
66.2%
25
33.8%

Source: IPEDS52
50

“IPEDS Data Center.” Op. cit.
Ibid.
52
Ibid.
51

© 2015 Hanover Research

30

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