What would you advised a teen who is looking for a college major with good earning potential?
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Anonymous
| My 17-year-old nephew asked me for advice on a college major that would provide good earning potential. He's a smart, hard-working, and has good people skills. He thinks he'd be happy in a variety of professions. He grew up with his parents having very limited income, and I think he'd just like to provide a comfortable life for his future family. What would you advice him in this situation? Thank you. |
Anonymous
| Finance major with accounting minor. Sit for the CPA exam. Go into I Banking and have the CPA as a fall back plan. |
Anonymous
| Chemical engineering if he or she has the math ability. |
Anonymous
This |
Anonymous
+100 |
Anonymous
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Any kind of engineering job will give you decent income. Chemical engineering would probably be the highest paying, especially if you work for an oil or gas company. Software engineers have the most flexibility because you can live anywhere. FPGA designers are in high demand too.
Second previous posters who mentioned finance, but you do need the background in accounting as well. If you don't have the math, accounting, or computer science background you would need the old boys network to break in. It's very difficult to get an i-banking job without the right contacts and background. Read the book Pedigree). Pharmacists also make decent money. If you don't mind being blue collar but do well for yourself, become a plumber. Female engineer here, and sometimes I think I should take up plumbing and work for myself 
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Anonymous
| Information Technology in the Business school and then a masters in Project Management, which can be done while working. |
Anonymous
| I would advise him that college is not about maximizing your earning potential. To work on his writing skills and make the most of the experience. |
Anonymous
My mother did that and feels like she's unemployable. I looked at her path in life and chose engineering for the likelihood of a stable career with good earning potential. |
Anonymous
+100 If he is chasing money and only money, be a plumber. He will never get out-sourced, And he can own his own business after awhile. Otherwise, he needs to learn and grow and figure out what he wants from life. Chasing money if he is from modest means will only make him unhappy given that social mobility is down in the US. Maybe he should consider moving/going to college in a country with better social mobility now that I think of it. |
Anonymous
| That when they get to be about 45 or 50 they will look back on things and realize they shouldn't have focused on making money but instead on being happy. |
Anonymous
 The majority of Americans need to worry about earning potential. Only wealthy people like you see on DCUM have the choice to pursue passions like native zimbabwean basket weaving studies or alternative theatre.
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Anonymous
That and being miserable for decades. Not worth it. |
Anonymous
OP here. In my experience, you can be happy while still making good money, and you can make good money without being "focused on making money." (I happen to be a lawyer myself, and I am fortunate to enjoy my job and be well paid. I never was super focused on money. I consider myself happy.) My nephew said that the one field he's not willing to consider is law, and so I'm not pushing that on him. |
Anonymous
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My sibling was a CPA for Price Water House and hated it. Bought a pizza franchise in the 90's then others ones. Ended up selling them all, and is very wealthy today.
I would say pursue what interest him or something that will give him some diversity. It also depends on what his strengths and weaknesses are. |