Degree fields projected to grow slowest
Key facts
- #1 Education, Field of study: +1.6%
- #2 Design and architecture, Field of study: +1.7%
- #3 Social sciences and psychology, Field of study: +4.1%
- 16 degrees ranked across all fields
- Data as of November 2026
- 1Education Field of study+1.6%
- 2Design and architecture Field of study+1.7%
- 3Social sciences and psychology Field of study+4.1%
- 4Marketing and communications Field of study+4.5%
- 5Law Field of study+4.5%
- 6Accounting Field of study+5.0%
- 7Finance and economics Field of study+5.3%
- 8Physical sciences Field of study+5.7%
- 9Business administration and management Field of study+6.8%
- 10Social work and counseling Field of study+7.3%
What stands out
- The top ten is tightly packed: Education leads on +1.6%, and #10 Social work and counseling is at +7.3%.
- Social work and counseling reaches #10 on a sample of 366 open jobs, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
- Business administration and management is the largest market in the top ten, with 62,474 open jobs behind its figure.
- Degrees with fewer than 300 open jobs are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.
Why this ranking matters
What it shows
Employment in some fields is projected to grow quickly and in others to barely move. The Bureau of Labor Statistics' ten-year projection, weighted by the size of each occupation, shows which fields are expected to add jobs.
How to use it
A projection is a national forecast, not a guarantee for your city. Pair it with the open-jobs list for the same field to see whether today's hiring agrees.
The top 25
- 1
Education Field of study
+1.6%
- Open jobs
- 443
- Share of four-year-degree jobs
- 0.2%
- Median posted pay
- $103k
- Projected growth to 2035
- +1.6%
Based on 443 openings.
- 2
Design and architecture Field of study
+1.7%
- Open jobs
- 2,259
- Share of four-year-degree jobs
- 1.1%
- Median posted pay
- $165k
- Projected growth to 2035
- +1.7%
Based on 2,259 openings.
- 3
Social sciences and psychology Field of study
+4.1%
- Open jobs
- 376
- Share of four-year-degree jobs
- 0.2%
- Median posted pay
- $140k
- Projected growth to 2035
- +4.1%
Based on 376 openings.
- 4
Marketing and communications Field of study
+4.5%
- Open jobs
- 30,658
- Share of four-year-degree jobs
- 14.6%
- Median posted pay
- $152k
- Projected growth to 2035
- +4.5%
Based on 30,658 openings.
- 5
Law Field of study
+4.5%
- Open jobs
- 3,815
- Share of four-year-degree jobs
- 1.8%
- Median posted pay
- $175k
- Projected growth to 2035
- +4.5%
Based on 3,815 openings.
- 6
Accounting Field of study
+5.0%
- Open jobs
- 5,169
- Share of four-year-degree jobs
- 2.5%
- Median posted pay
- $83k
- Projected growth to 2035
- +5.0%
Based on 5,169 openings.
- 7
Finance and economics Field of study
+5.3%
- Open jobs
- 18,841
- Share of four-year-degree jobs
- 9.0%
- Median posted pay
- $134k
- Projected growth to 2035
- +5.3%
Based on 18,841 openings.
- 8
Physical sciences Field of study
+5.7%
- Open jobs
- 934
- Share of four-year-degree jobs
- 0.4%
- Median posted pay
- $114k
- Projected growth to 2035
- +5.7%
Based on 934 openings.
- 9
Business administration and management Field of study
+6.8%
- Open jobs
- 62,474
- Share of four-year-degree jobs
- 29.8%
- Median posted pay
- $140k
- Projected growth to 2035
- +6.8%
Based on 62,474 openings.
- 10
Social work and counseling Field of study
+7.3%
- Open jobs
- 366
- Share of four-year-degree jobs
- 0.2%
- Median posted pay
- $109k
- Projected growth to 2035
- +7.3%
Based on 366 openings.
- 11
Computer science and IT Field of study
+7.6%
- Open jobs
- 43,985
- Share of four-year-degree jobs
- 21.0%
- Median posted pay
- $188k
- Projected growth to 2035
- +7.6%
Based on 43,985 openings.
- 12
Health professions and medicine Field of study
+8.0%
- Open jobs
- 833
- Share of four-year-degree jobs
- 0.4%
- Median posted pay
- $160k
- Projected growth to 2035
- +8.0%
Based on 833 openings.
- 13
Engineering Field of study
+8.4%
- Open jobs
- 31,677
- Share of four-year-degree jobs
- 15.1%
- Median posted pay
- $142k
- Projected growth to 2035
- +8.4%
Based on 31,677 openings.
- 14
Nursing Field of study
+8.8%
- Open jobs
- 343
- Share of four-year-degree jobs
- 0.2%
- Median posted pay
- Not enough pay data
- Projected growth to 2035
- +8.8%
Based on 343 openings.
- 15
Life sciences Field of study
+9.4%
- Open jobs
- 1,068
- Share of four-year-degree jobs
- 0.5%
- Median posted pay
- $143k
- Projected growth to 2035
- +9.4%
Based on 1,068 openings.
- 16
Math and statistics Field of study
+25.2%
- Open jobs
- 6,682
- Share of four-year-degree jobs
- 3.2%
- Median posted pay
- $153k
- Projected growth to 2035
- +25.2%
Based on 6,682 openings.
Full ranking
All 16 degrees that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.
| Rank | Field or level | Score | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Education Field of study | +1.6% | 443 |
| 2 | Design and architecture Field of study | +1.7% | 2,259 |
| 3 | Social sciences and psychology Field of study | +4.1% | 376 |
| 4 | Marketing and communications Field of study | +4.5% | 30,658 |
| 5 | Law Field of study | +4.5% | 3,815 |
| 6 | Accounting Field of study | +5.0% | 5,169 |
| 7 | Finance and economics Field of study | +5.3% | 18,841 |
| 8 | Physical sciences Field of study | +5.7% | 934 |
| 9 | Business administration and management Field of study | +6.8% | 62,474 |
| 10 | Social work and counseling Field of study | +7.3% | 366 |
| 11 | Computer science and IT Field of study | +7.6% | 43,985 |
| 12 | Health professions and medicine Field of study | +8.0% | 833 |
| 13 | Engineering Field of study | +8.4% | 31,677 |
| 14 | Nursing Field of study | +8.8% | 343 |
| 15 | Life sciences Field of study | +9.4% | 1,068 |
| 16 | Math and statistics Field of study | +25.2% | 6,682 |
How this ranking works
A degree field is a group of occupations that are usually reached through the same kind of study, such as Nursing, Engineering or Accounting. The grouping is our own judgment on the occupation code, and only occupations that typically need a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree are included. A field's score is the Bureau of Labor Statistics' projected change in employment from 2025 to 2035, averaged across its occupations and weighted by their employment.
A posting does not state a degree. Each is matched to its standard occupation, and the education shown is what the Bureau of Labor Statistics lists as typical for entering that occupation. Some employers ask for more or less, and about one posting in a hundred has an occupation we could not match, which is left out. Projected growth is the Bureau of Labor Statistics' change in employment from 2025 to 2035 for the occupation, a national forecast and not a promise for any one city. Only fields with at least 300 open jobs are ranked.
Sample bar: degrees with fewer than 300 openings are not ranked.
Sources: NextChapter job data: open professional roles, matched to standard occupation (SOC) codes; Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025-35: typical entry-level education and projected employment change by occupation. Data as of November 2026.
Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, so figures describe that market, not every job. Spot an error? Tell us.
Questions
- Which degree field or education level ranks first: degree fields projected to grow slowest?
- Education is projected to grow slowest of the degree fields: +1.6% in employment from 2025 to 2035.
- How many degrees are ranked?
- 16 degrees have at least 300 open jobs, so the list has 16 entries.
- How is the ranking calculated?
- A degree field is a group of occupations that are usually reached through the same kind of study, such as Nursing, Engineering or Accounting. The grouping is our own judgment on the occupation code, and only occupations that typically need a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree are included. A field's score is the Bureau of Labor Statistics' projected change in employment from 2025 to 2035, averaged across its occupations and weighted by their employment. A posting does not state a degree. Each is matched to its standard occupation, and the education shown is what the Bureau of Labor Statistics lists as typical for entering that occupation. Some employers ask for more or less, and about one posting in a hundred has an occupation we could not match, which is left out. Projected growth is the Bureau of Labor Statistics' change in employment from 2025 to 2035 for the occupation, a national forecast and not a promise for any one city. Only fields with at least 300 open jobs are ranked.
- How often is it updated?
- Every month. This is the November 2026 edition. Older editions stay on this site at their own dated addresses.
More rankings
Cite this ranking
NextChapter, “Degree fields projected to grow slowest,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/degree-fields-projected-to-grow-slowest
Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/degree-fields-projected-to-grow-slowest">Degree fields projected to grow slowest (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>
Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.
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