Some majors don’t deliver strong pay or stable demand relative to their cost. That doesn’t make the fields worthless but if your primary goal is earnings and employability, data shows chronic weak spots: slow or negative job growth tied to specific occupations, or low median wages even mid-career. Below are degrees that often lead to shrinking or slow-growth roles or to careers with persistently modest pay. If you love one of these subjects, consider cheaper pathways, stacking certificates, or pairing the interest with an in-demand skill set.
1. Journalism (news reporting)
Many journalism programs still feed into reporter roles that are shrinking. BLS projects employment of news analysts, reporters, and journalists to decline 4% from 2024–2034 as newsrooms consolidate and digital platforms do more with fewer staff. If you want to report, internships and a portfolio often matter more than the degree label, and skills in data, multimedia, and audience development travel well to other roles.
2. Broadcast communications (radio/TV announcing)
Announcer and DJ jobs are projected to decline 2% through 2034, with automation and streaming squeezing traditional on-air slots. Podcasting and creator roles exist, but they don’t require a broadcast degree; audio production, marketing analytics, and editing skills are more portable and often learned via certificates.
3. Desktop publishing/print production
Programs focused on print layout feed into an occupation BLS expects to fall 12% by 2034 as page-layout tasks shift to designers and as print volume declines. If you like visual work, pivot to graphic/UI design and motion, where toolchains and job outlooks are stronger.
4. Printing technology (prepress, binding, finishing)
Printing-shop specialties face steep structural decline. BLS lists prepress technicians and print binding/finishing workers among the fastest-shrinking occupations through 2034, tied to continued digital substitution. Skills in digital content ops or large-format digital print are likelier to age better than legacy prepress.
5. Office administration (word processing/data entry tracks)
Degrees built around typing and data entry are misaligned with where the jobs are going. Word processors/typists and data-entry keyers are on BLS’s fastest-declining list as software and AI take over routine tasks. If you’re drawn to operations, aim for project coordination or analytics support instead.
6. Travel and tourism management (agent-focused)
Travel agents aren’t disappearing, but growth is sluggish BLS projects just 2% through 2034, slower than average because consumers book directly online. Hospitality revenue roles, event logistics, or airline operations may offer better runway than agent-centric programs.
7. Photography
If your degree targets traditional photographer roles, know the outlook is slower than average (2% growth). BLS also notes smartphone quality and stock services dampen demand. Commercial content creation and post-production skills help but those can be built via certificates and portfolios without a four-year major.
8. Studio/fine arts
Art majors can thrive, but their median earnings lag behind those of many other fields. Georgetown’s CEW finds the lowest-earning majors cluster in arts and related fields; studio and visual/performing arts repeatedly appear near the bottom by median wages. If you pursue art, keep costs down and add marketable skills like UX or digital product design.
9. Performing arts (drama/theater)
Stage-focused degrees often lead to irregular work and low median pay. CEW lists drama and theater arts among the lowest-earning undergraduate majors. Training, showcases, and side skills (teaching, voiceover, video editing) may beat a costly four-year program for most job-seekers.
10. Art history
Art history cultivates valuable analysis and writing, but earnings are typically modest without advanced study. CEW shows humanities/arts subfields like art history among low-earning groups at the median; museum roles are also limited and competitive. Consider pairing with communications, archives, or digital curation.
11. Theology and religious studies
For students pursuing ministry, the degree is mission-driven; for earnings, it’s among the lowest at the median. CEW places theology and religious vocations in the bottom tier for pay, so debt load matters a lot. Lower-cost programs and bivocational planning help reduce risk.
12. Early childhood education
Society needs early educators, but pay is persistently low. CEW identifies early childhood education as the single lowest-earning bachelor’s major at mid-career, despite steady demand. If you choose this path, minimize borrowing and look for employer tuition support and state stipends.
13. Parks, recreation, and leisure studies
These programs often lead to roles in community recreation or tourism with modest pay. CEW groups “physical fitness; parks, recreation, and leisure” among lower-earning majors at the median. Certificates in exercise science, outdoor education, or operations may yield more flexible options.
14. Fashion design
Fashion can be rewarding, but job growth for fashion designers is slower than average (2% through 2034), and roles cluster in a few hubs. Many entry points value portfolios and apprenticeships over degree pedigree; CAD, supply-chain, and e-commerce skills tend to travel better.
15. Broadcasting technology (studio/broadcast tech)
Broadcast, sound, and video technician jobs are projected to grow just 1% slower than average as software and remote workflows reduce on-site staffing. If you’re media-minded, consider motion graphics, live-stream engineering, or post-production pipelines where demand is broader.
16. History (if your aim is “historian”)
A history B.A. can lead to many careers, but if the target job is historian, BLS projects only 2% growth with about 300 openings a year tiny numbers that usually require graduate study. If you love history, combine it with data, policy, or teaching credentials to widen options.
17. Foreign language and literature (standalone)
Language skills are valuable, but a standalone language B.A. tends to sit on the lower end of earnings unless paired with another field. The New York Fed’s College Labor Market tracker shows humanities and some language majors with lower early-career pay and higher underemployment relative to STEM/business. Pair language with business, health, or tech.
18. Real estate
Plenty of successful agents exist, but BLS lists “high school diploma or equivalent” plus state licensing, not a real-estate bachelor’s, as typical entry prep for agents and brokers. If you want this path, cheaper pre-licensing and hands-on sales training may beat a four-year degree labeled “real estate.”
More tips on job hunting and career training:
No degree? no problem: 22 lucrative jobs you can get without going to college: In this post, you’ll find our list of the highest-paying jobs without a college diploma.
11 quick job certifications with high earning potential: If you’re looking to start a new career but you don’t have the resources or the time to get an expensive degree, this list of easy career certifications to help you advance in your career and increase your earning potential.
18 quick training careers that pay off fast for a midlife reset: If you’re looking for training that help you skill up in weeks, dive into our post with details about short certificates, state licenses, or on-the-job training.
