What are the most common degrees in Atlanta? | More

More and more Americans are earning degrees, which increases their income and decreases their risk of unemployment.

Learner analyzed Census Bureau data through the University of Minnesota IPUMS to see what the most common college majors are for American workers in Atlanta, based on a national analysis. Numbers are rounded to the nearest hundred.

In 2022, 37.5% of adults 25 and older had earned a bachelor’s degree or higher, up from about 28% in 2009. This increase may be due in part to a change in job requirements: roles that once required than a high school diploma. apply for a university degree. Americans with a bachelor’s degree had an unemployment rate of just 2.2 percent last year, compared with 3.9 percent for those with only a high school diploma, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

A New York Federal Reserve study released in 2019 found that college graduates enjoyed a substantial advantage over workers with only a high school diploma, earning on average about $30,000 more per year. year. They estimate that for students who complete their education, the return on investment of a college degree is approximately 14%.

Nationally, business is by far the most common undergraduate major. In 2022, approximately 8.5 million full-time working adults had a bachelor’s degree in a business-related field, while 2.9 million of them had also earned a postgraduate degree in that field, such as a master’s degree in commerce or accounting.

Common jobs for business majors include accountants, who earn a median income of $80,000 per year; financial analysts, who earn around $100,000; and market researchers, who earn about $75,000, according to BLS data. Engineering and education come in second for full-time workers, with around 4.5 million graduates each.

College is getting more and more expensive. However, for some, especially those with academic aptitude, earning a degree can still make financial sense.

Read on to see what the most common college degrees are in Atlanta. The data covers people who live in Fulton County.

#5. Social Sciences

– Workers with only a baccalaureate in 2022: 2,600

— Median annual income: $77,500

– Workers holding this baccalaureate, plus a postgraduate diploma in 2022: 2,100

— Median annual income: $114,000

#4. Computer and information sciences

– Workers with only a baccalaureate in 2022: 2,600

— Median annual income: $99,000

– Workers holding this baccalaureate, plus a postgraduate diploma in 2022: 1,700

— Median annual income: $103,000

#3. Engineering

– Workers with only a baccalaureate in 2022: 2,800

— Median annual income: $89,500

– Workers holding this baccalaureate, plus a postgraduate diploma in 2022: 3,400

— Median annual income: $122,000

#2. Communications

– Workers with only a baccalaureate in 2022: 3,000

— Median annual income: $79,000

– Workers holding this baccalaureate, plus a postgraduate diploma in 2022: 700

— Median annual income: $74,500

#1. Business

– Workers with only a baccalaureate in 2022: 11,700

— Median annual income: $78,500

– Workers holding this baccalaureate, plus a postgraduate diploma in 2022: 5,500

— Median annual income: $106,500

This story features reporting and data writing by Wade Zhou and is part of a series using data automation in 35 cities.

This story originally appeared on Learner and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.