Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

U.S. Census Bureau to Stop Measuring the Value of College Majors

  • 12/15/14

WASHINGTON, DC — The U.S. Census Bureau is proposing eliminating the collection of data on the value of college majors from its annual American Community Survey (ACS). At a time when seven out of 10 high school graduates enroll in college, that move would eliminate the only information that students, parents and educators can rely on to understand the economic benefits of individual college majors, according to researchers at the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.

All college degrees are valuable but some majors are much more valuable than others. The difference between the highest paying and lowest paying major is $90,000 in annual salary, a difference that accumulates to more than $4 million over a career according to the Center’s previous research.

“At a time when what you take in college determines what you make, the fact that they’re proposing this is difficult to understand,” says Anthony P. Carnevale, the Center’s director. “This move would be a huge step backward in nationwide efforts to help students make informed choices about what to study in college.”

The ACS’s coverage on college majors has served to inform students, colleges, media and the general public not only on earnings of a particular college major but also on differences in employment rates by major nationwide and in individual states.

“The demand for this kind of information is enormous,” says Jeff Strohl, the Center’s research director. “Every year, college students and their families are making decisions about what to study that will affect them for the rest of their lives.”

The ACS is an annual nationwide survey of 3 million households. Since its launch in 2005, the survey has helped researchers produce findings on college majors that are targeted toward students, career counselors, high schools, colleges, policymakers and community leaders.

The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce is an independent, nonprofit research and policy institute that studies the link between individual goals, education and training curricula, and career pathways. The Center is affiliated with the Georgetown McCourt School of Public Policy. For more information, visit: http://cew.georgetown.edu.

Featured

  • Ohio State University Opens 26-Story Hospital

    The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center recently opened in Columbus, Ohio, standing 26 stories and covering 1.9 million square feet, according to a university news release. The project marks ten years of effort and is the university’s largest single-facility construction project ever.

  • University of Illinois Moves Forward with College Sports’ Largest Digital Scoreboard

    The University of Illinois in Champaign, Ill., recently announced a series of upgrades to Gies Memorial Stadium that will include the largest scoreboard in college sports, according to a news release.

  • Academy of Classical Education Breaks Ground in Louisiana

    Charter Schools USA (CSUSA) recently announced the groundbreaking of a new public charter school in Covington, La., according to a news release. The Academy of Classical Education at Covington will enroll students in grades K–8 and is scheduled for completion in August 2026, just in time for the new school year.

  • Houston-Area High School Breaks Ground on 117,000SF Multi-Use Facility

    North Shore Senior High School, part of Galena Park ISD in Houston, Texas, recently broke ground on a new multi-use facility for student extracurriculars, according to a news release. The North Shore Multi-Use Facility will include dedicated practice and training space for the school’s athletics and fine arts programs.