Harvard Study Shocks Students: 10 Degrees That Won’t Get You a Job

For decades, a college degree was seen as the ultimate ticket to success, a passport to job security, stability, and financial freedom. But as the global economy evolves and automation, AI, and changing industry demands reshape the job market, that promise is beginning to crack. According to a new Harvard report, several popular college degrees are now delivering diminishing returns, both in terms of income and long-term career growth.

Researchers from Harvard University, including economists David J. Deming and Kadeem Noray, have shed light on a growing imbalance between education and employment outcomes. Their analysis reveals that while some degrees continue to open lucrative doors, others are struggling to keep up with the rapid pace of technological change and shifting job market demands.

The key finding? A degree alone is no longer enough. Employers now care less about the diploma and more about demonstrable skills, adaptability, and the ability to learn continuously. Degrees that rely heavily on theoretical knowledge or that don’t align clearly with current industry needs are losing their edge in the professional world.

According to the report, the problem isn’t always about low starting salaries, it’s about long term stagnation. Some fields offer strong entry level opportunities, but the advantage fades over time if graduates fail to evolve with changing technologies and global trends.

Harvard’s study identified several degrees that are seeing a decline in financial returns. While these fields once promised stability and prestige, they now face oversaturation, automation, or a mismatch with modern market requirements.

1. General Business Administration (including some MBAs)

Once a universal go to for aspiring corporate professionals, business administration programs have become oversaturated. Employers today seek specialized expertise, such as data analytics or digital strategy over generic management degrees.

2. Computer Science

This may come as a surprise. While computer science still offers high starting pay, its long term payoff is dwindling for graduates who fail to keep their technical skills updated. Rapid innovation means what’s learned in college can become obsolete within a few years.

3. Mechanical Engineering

Automation and the offshoring of manufacturing have weakened job prospects in this once-reliable field. Engineers now face stiff global competition and slower wage growth.

4. Accounting

The rise of AI driven accounting software has automated many entry level tasks. Unless accountants specialize in financial strategy, auditing, or forensic roles, their income potential is flattening.

5. Biochemistry

This field offers limited direct job opportunities for bachelor’s degree holders. Without pursuing advanced degrees or lab specialization, graduates often face underemployment.

6. Psychology (Undergraduate Level)

Psychology remains one of the most popular majors worldwide, but career options for bachelor’s degree holders are narrow. Most high paying roles in this field require postgraduate training.

7. English and Humanities

Though valuable for communication and critical thinking, these degrees often lack direct career pathways. Declining enrollments and low mid career pay are clear signs of shifting demand.

8. Sociology and Social Sciences

Like the humanities, social science degrees can leave graduates struggling to find jobs that align with their skill sets, especially without additional professional qualifications.

9. History

While historians excel at research and analysis, career prospects beyond academia remain limited. The wage premium compared to technical fields has dropped significantly.

10. Philosophy

Philosophy cultivates deep reasoning and ethics, but without cross disciplinary skills or graduate studies, it rarely translates into high paying employment.

The Harvard findings highlight several reasons behind this decline:

• Skill Obsolescence: In fields like engineering or computer science, technological advancement quickly renders existing knowledge outdated.
• Degree Saturation: With more graduates than ever, degrees no longer act as strong differentiators in the job market.
• Automation and AI: Routine or procedural tasks are increasingly handled by machines, reducing the need for human intervention.
• Globalisation: Outsourcing of technical and analytical roles has reduced domestic job opportunities in certain fields.
• Lack of Vocational Clarity: Degrees without a clear career trajectory, like humanities or social sciences, often lead to underemployment.

Essentially, the issue isn’t that these subjects lack value; it’s that they no longer guarantee financial stability or market relevance without continuous upskilling.

For students, this report isn’t a warning to avoid these degrees altogether, it’s a wake up call to approach them strategically. Passion for a subject still matters, but so does practicality.

Those pursuing these fields should:

• Pair their majors with marketable skills. For instance, combining English with digital marketing or data analytics can open new career doors.
• Engage in continuous learning. Short courses, online certifications, and internships can keep one’s knowledge relevant.
• Focus on cross disciplinary education. Blending humanities with technology or psychology with data science can create powerful, employable skill sets.
• Prioritize real world application. Employers value experience and practical know how more than ever.

The Harvard study does not declare the death of traditional education, it simply calls for a reinvention of it. Degrees are evolving from being endpoints to becoming starting points. Students must see their education as a lifelong process, one that adapts to shifting industries and emerging technologies.

In the end, success in the modern world depends less on what you study and more on how you apply it. As automation, AI, and hybrid professions reshape the future of work, the most valuable graduates will be those who combine knowledge with agility, the thinkers who can learn, unlearn, and relearn.

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