Undecided on a Major? Start Here.

Explore fields, understand career paths, and find what fits your interests and goals.

3 in 10

students

Change their major within their first three years of college

National Center for Education Statistics

Why Being Undecided Is Normal

You’re Not Behind — You’re Exploring

Being undecided doesn’t mean you’re off track. In fact, many students adjust their plans as they learn more about themselves, their interests, and their career options. College is designed to help you explore, not force a decision before you’re ready.

What matters most isn’t choosing quickly — it’s choosing thoughtfully. The right major is one that aligns with your strengths, goals, and the life you want after graduation.

SHow to Start Narrowing Your Options

Step 1: Learn What Fits You

If you’re unsure where to begin, start with yourself.

Think about:

  • What subjects or activities you enjoy
  • The skills you naturally use or want to develop
  • The kind of work environment you prefer
  • Whether you’re motivated by creativity, problem-solving, helping others, or building things

To make this easier, we offer tools that connect your interests to real academic and career paths.

Recommended Tool:

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Explore Majors by Interest Area

Step 2: Explore Fields — Not Just Titles

You don’t need to know the name of a specific major yet. Many students start by exploring interest areas and then narrow down to individual programs.

Here are a few common interest paths to explore:

Helping & People-Focused Fields
Majors that focus on working directly with people, communities, or patients — often found in education, psychology, healthcare, and social services.

Business, Leadership & Strategy
Majors that emphasize organization, decision-making, finance, marketing, and management across industries.

Creative & Communication Fields
Programs centered on storytelling, design, media, writing, and creative problem-solving.

Technology, Engineering & Data
Majors focused on building, analyzing, and improving systems — from software and engineering to IT and data analysis.

Science & Health
Fields grounded in research, biology, medicine, and applied sciences, often leading to regulated or credentialed careers.

Each of these areas includes multiple majors with different career outcomes, earning potential, and educational paths. Exploring by interest helps you see options you may not have considered.

What You Can Do While You’re Undecided

Step 3: Take Smart Action Now

You don’t need to pause your progress just because you haven’t chosen a major yet.

Here’s how many undecided students move forward confidently:

  1. Take Introductory Courses
    General education and introductory classes help you explore subjects while earning credits that count toward graduation.
  2. Learn About Careers Early
    Understanding what different jobs actually look like — day-to-day work, pay, growth, and required education — can help clarify your direction.
  3. Get Real-World Exposure
    Part-time jobs, volunteering, internships, or shadowing professionals can reveal what you enjoy (and what you don’t).
  4. Talk to Advisors and Mentors
    Academic advisors, instructors, and career counselors can help you connect interests to majors and avoid unnecessary detours.

Exploration is most effective when it’s intentional.

How Majors Connect to Careers

Your Major Is a Path — Not a Single Job

A major doesn’t lock you into one career. Many majors lead to a wide range of roles across industries.

For example:

  • A business major can lead to roles in marketing, operations, analytics, or entrepreneurship.
  • A technology-focused major can open doors in software, systems, product, or data roles.
  • A social science major can support careers in research, policy, education, or nonprofit work.

What matters is how your major builds skills, experience, and credentials that translate to the workforce.

On Tuition Covered, you can explore how majors connect to:

  • Career paths
  • Earning potential
  • Job demand
  • Required education beyond a bachelor’s degree

Cost, Value, and Outcomes

Think Long-Term — Not Just Short-Term

When choosing a major, it’s important to think beyond interest alone. Different fields can vary in:

  • Time to complete
  • Required certifications or licenses
  • Typical earnings
  • Employment demand
  • Education costs

Tuition Covered helps you compare these factors so you can weigh cost vs. value and make informed decisions — especially if affordability or return on education matters to you.

Compare Majors based on RoEDU

Frequently Asked Questions