Skip to Content

18 Most Usless Degrees To Avoid If You Want A Well-Paying Job

By Author Chhavi Agarwal

Most Usless Degrees To Avoid

Looking to know the most useless degrees to avoid?

College degrees are not significant anymore. With the many options to make money today, there is no need to waste a considerable amount on college fees.

You can instead spend that money on developing future skills or building a business.

But this conversation becomes even more critical if you plan to get a college degree in 2023. With the competition for jobs getting more brutal and challenging, a “relevant” college degree is essential to compete in the job market. 

A college degree shows you have the skills and knowledge to succeed in today’s economy. But what if you end up with the most useless degrees in 2023 or the future? 

We have compiled a list of the 18 most useless degrees. 

Note: No degree is useless. A lot depends on your career goals and aspirations. If you have clarity in your head, no one can stop you.

The post includes affiliate links.

Want to make money quickly? Here are a few platforms to earn up to $25 – $50 in a few minutes!

Table Of Contents
  1. Most Usless Degrees To Avoid
  2. What to consider before deciding on the degree?
  3. 18 Most Useless Degree In The Future With Bleak Job Prospects
  4. Most Useless College Degrees – things to remember
  5. How to make any degree work for you and earn over $100k?
  6. Some of the things you can do to improve your income
  7. What Do You Think About The Most Usless Degrees To Avoid ?
  8. Most Usless Degrees To Avoid

What to consider before deciding on the degree?

Before you choose any degree, there are certain things that you need to consider.

  • The first thing is to ensure that your degree is from a good college or university. It will open more doors for you than a degree from a lesser-known school.
  • Second, you need to ensure that the degree you’re getting is in a field in demand. Specific skills, such as healthcare, engineering, and education, are always in high demand. But some skills are not in high demand, such as the liberal arts education. 
  • Third, you need to make sure that the degree you’re getting will lead to a good job. Certain degrees lead to jobs that pay extraordinarily well, such as degrees in business administration or engineering (especially computer science). But some degrees lead to jobs that need to pay better or have few well-paying jobs.
  • Fourth, you need to ensure that the degree you’re getting is something you’re interested in. Suppose you’re not interested in the field that you’re studying. Staying with it will be challenging, and getting a good job after graduation.
  • Fifth, you must ensure that the degree you’re getting won’t take too long to complete if you cannot afford to give that much time. Some degrees, such as medical degrees, can take up to eight years to complete. But some degrees can be completed in two years or less, such as an associate’s degree.

Keep all the factors in mind while you decide on a college degree.

Before discussing the most useless degrees, you must also understand the difference between unemployment and underemployment rates.

Unemployment rate vs. underemployment rate

The unemployment rate is the percentage of people looking for a job but cannot find one. The underemployment rate, on the other hand, is the percentage of people working but not paid well or not in the field they studied.

For example, suppose the unemployment rate is 5%, and the underemployment rate is 10%. That means that 5% of people looking for a job cannot find one, and 10% of people working are not working in the career field they studied or are grossly underpaid.

Both of them are critical metrics to understand whether or not a degree is valuable. 

18 Most Useless Degree In The Future With Bleak Job Prospects

#1 Degree in Anthropology:

Anthropology is the study of human beings and their societies. It is a broad field divided into four main subfields: 

  • Archaeological anthropology
  • Biological anthropology
  • Linguistic anthropology, and 
  • Sociocultural anthropology.

While Anthropology degrees can be interesting, it isn’t so lucrative. Very few careers require an Anthropology degree, and there are finite vacancies. 

The average unemployment rate is about 5%, with an average salary of $55000. While it is called a recession-proof industry, it is challenging to find jobs that pay well.

According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, however, this field’s average growth rate is approximately 5% over the next few years. It is important to note that this is to fill up the vacancies that arise from retirements and resignations. 

Your traditional job options include:

  • Archeology
  • Working as a professor in colleges and universities
  • Be an environmental anthropologist
  • Medical anthropologist and
  • Museum curator.

If you already have a degree in anthropology, a few new options (that also pay well) are:

  • Diversity Manager
  • Public Relations Manager
  • Public Policy Analyst
  • Human Resources (HR) Manager

#2 Degree in Art History:

Art history is the study of art and its development over time. It covers a wide range of topics, including the history of architecture, sculpture, painting, and other art forms.

Like Anthropology, very few careers require a Bachelor of Arts History degree, and even fewer will pay you a decent salary. 

The average unemployment rate is 3.8%. Remember, however, that unemployment in arts and sciences or humanities degrees is always much higher.

The most traditional jobs include:

  • Curator
  • Teacher/Professor
  • Museum Administrator/Director
  • Conservator/Art Restorer/Conservation Scientist
  • Art Authenticator
  • Museum Reproductions/Retail Manager
  • Art Librarian/Visual Resource Curator
  • Auctioneer
  • Art Journalist
  • Commercial Gallery Owner/Director/Manager
  • Independent Art Consultant
  • Collections Manager

If you are interested in arts, we have a list of business ideas for artists.

#3 Degree in Archaeology :

Archaeology is the study of the human past through material remains. It is interdisciplinary, incorporating aspects of history, anthropology, sociology, and even biology.

Like Anthropology and Art History, your choices are limited, and there aren’t enough jobs. 

The unemployment rate is as low as 5%, but there is a catch. Very few jobs pay well, and you need to obtain a master’s and Ph.D. or doctoral to get a chance to earn well in the field.

The traditional job options are:

  • Researcher
  • Professor·
  • Conservator
  • Heritage manager
  • Historic buildings inspector/conservation officer
  • Museum education officer

BLS has expected a 7.4 percent employment growth for archaeologists between 2020 and 2030 and 600 jobs. However, archaeology still has problematic career growth (assuming you get a job first).

#4 Degree in Creative Writing:

Creative writing is creating original works of fiction, poetry, or drama. It is a prevalent undergraduate degree choice for students who want to pursue a career in writing. However, it is also one of the most challenging degrees to get a job with.

While there are jobs requiring people with this degree, the entry bar is low, and too many people are available for this job. That means you either stand out or be excellent at what you do. However, this is also a problem because employers can find similar talent ready to work at a lesser salary.

Besides, if you have a flair for writing, you don’t need a formal degree. You can take many online courses that are affordable compared to huge costs.

The most common job options are:

  • Content Writer
  • Copywriter
  • Technical Writer
  • Screenwriter
  • Grant Writer
  • Speechwriter
  • Editor

Holly Johnson is a popular freelance writer who has written for leading publications like Forbes and Business Insiders.

There is noone else you should learn freelance writing from if you want to make money over $200k a year (just like her). Check out her course here.

But the most well-paying ones are:

Want to be a $100K blog? Check these courses out

Starting a website and designing it is not a difficult and tech-heavy task. You can simply get started for as little as $3.95 per month

Ready Set Blog for traffic – It is an EXTREMELY underpriced course on how to make money with a blog for beginners. It tells you how to set up your blog, use Pinterest and implement SEO strategies. Using her tips, I have been able to rank on page 1 of Google. You can read my first income report here.

Stupid Simple SEO (FREE COURSE) – It is the best investment I have made in the blog land. Take Mike’s course, apply it on your blog and you can see the results pouring it. Read detailed review here.

FREE SEO lessons (video) – If you’re looking for video classes on SEO, you cannot miss out what Lena has to tell you.

Pinteresting Strategies – This is an affordable course that tells you how to use (and, how NOT to use) Pinterest to drive traffic. Using this, I have been able to get a 200% increase in traffic within 2 months.

Affiliate marketing for bloggers – The ONLY resource I have used, which taught me everything required. I also understood a lot of things that I were doing wrong and could have been dinged by Google. Thank god!

If you want to pursue fictional writing or study works of literature, consider a degree in creative writing. However, we encourage you to be clear in your head and assess your abilities to produce work that can earn a decent income.

#5 Degree in Criminal Justice or Criminology:

Criminal Justice studies the criminal justice system and its various components, such as law enforcement, corrections, and the courts.

It is a very competitive field. Many jobs require a Criminal Justice degree, but many people with the same degree compete for those jobs.

It is better to go for a law degree instead. Some sources have the unemployment rate for recent graduates at over 50%.

The most common job options are:

  • Police Officer
  • Probation Officer
  • Correctional Officer
  • Forensic Psychologist
  • Private Investigator
  • Criminal Profiler

#6 English Honors Degree:

English is the study of the English language and literature. While a lot of people pursue this undergraduate program, it takes work to find a well-paying job. 

Very few careers require an English degree, and even fewer will pay you a decent salary. According to this, English majors report 9.8% unemployment which is above average.

The most common job options are:

Investing in an online course to understand your interests before you go to college and invest money into something with minimal ROI is always better. It is entirely up to you if you plan to attend community college.

#7 Degree in Fashion Design:

Fashion design is the art of designing clothing and accessories. It is a trendy degree amongst those who love fashion; however, it is also a very competitive field.

While the unemployment rate isn’t super high, there is a tough market. Many designers specialize in other fields like graphic design or starting their own businesses.

The most common job options are:

  • Fashion Designer
  • Fashion Stylist
  • Costume Designer
  • Fashion Consultant
  • Personal Stylist 
  • Fashion Journalist
  • Textile Designer
  • Pattern Maker
  • Merchandiser
  • Retail Buyer

Note: If you are invested in it and good at it, a degree in fashion design can open up great opportunities for you. As I said, it is a tough market, so your aim should be to get the best first job. 

#8 Degree in Fine Arts:

Fine arts studies various art forms, such as painting, sculpture, and architecture. 

According to this, the unemployment rate for graduates is a staggering 9.1-11 percent. At the same time, those who do get jobs face a lower annual income of $40,855 on average.

The most common job options are:

  • Artist
  • Graphic Designer
  • Illustrator
  • Art Director
  • Animator
  • Multimedia Artist
  • Industrial Designer

#9 Degree in History:

History is the study of the past. Unless you want to be associated with the subject, there is no point in pursuing it. As of 2021, the unemployment rate is approx. 5.8%, which is higher than the average.  

The most common job options are:

  • Teacher
  • Professor
  • Historian
  • Archivist
  • Librarian
  • Genealogist
  • Historic Preservationist

#10 Degree in Journalism:

Journalism is the study of news writing and reporting and is a popular degree choice for students interested in pursuing a career in journalism. 

The unemployment rate is 6%, and the average salary is $40,000. We only recommend this if you want to be a journalist or news anchor.

The most common job options are:

  • Reporter
  • Journalist
  • News Anchor
  • Broadcast Technician
  • Photo Journalist
  • Public Relations Specialist
  • Social Media Manager

#11 Degree in communication studies:

Communication is the study of how to effectively communicate with others. At this point, it may seem it is a valuable skill to have.  However, it has become obsolete because (degree or not) people need to work on these skills.  

The most common job options are:

  • Public Relations Specialist
  • Event Planner
  • Fundraiser
  • Salesperson
  • Social Media Manager
  • Teacher
  • Professor
  • Recruiter

And each of these options has a different college degree associated with it to learn the necessary skills. 

#12 Degree in Ethnic Studies:

Ethnic studies study the histories, cultures, and experiences of people of color. It is a choice for students interested in pursuing a career in social sciences, justice, or diversity work.

However, it is also a very competitive field. Many jobs require an ethnic studies degree, but many people with the same degree compete for those jobs. The unemployment rate is approx. For undergraduates is approx 5.9%.

The most common job options are:

  • Social Worker
  • Counselor
  • Teacher
  • Professor
  • Diversity Officer
  • Recruiter
  • Event Planner
  • Fundraiser

#13 Degree in Film Studies:

Film studies are the study of movies and filmmaking. It is the first choice for students interested in pursuing a career in the film industry. However, it is a competitive field and a tricky career space to crack.

We recommend you go ahead if you have connections in this field. 

The most common job options are:

  • Film Critic
  • Film Director
  • Film Producer
  • Screenwriter
  • Cinematographer
  • Editor
  • Production Designer

#14 Degree in Music:

Music is the study of the art of making music. We don’t need to speak about how challenging it is to make money with this. Few jobs require a music degree, and there are tonnes of people available for it. 

A lot also depends on what kind of music you are interested in, what you want to do, and your luck.

While 75% of the grads get a job, the average salary is between $20000 to $60000 a year – which is much less.

The most common job options are:

  • Musician
  • Music Teacher
  • Music Therapist
  • Composer
  • Arranger
  • Conductor
  • Music Journalist
  • Music Critic
  • Music Performance

#15 Degree in Philosophy:

Philosophy studies the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence. There are few job options available in this field.  It has a staggering 4.3% unemployment rate and a 53.6% underemployment rate.

The most common job options are:

  • Professor
  • Teacher
  • Politician
  • Lobbyist
  • Consultant
  • Philosopher

#16 Degree in Religious Studies:

Religious studies are the study of religion. It is a popular degree choice for students interested in pursuing a career in academia or ministry. 

However, it is also a very challenging field. The unemployment rate is about 2.5%, but the underemployment rate is about 45%. That means people either don’t get a relevant job or don’t want to stay because the pay could be better.

The most common job options are:

  • Academics
  • Minister
  • Priest
  • Rabbi
  • Chaplain
  • Religious Counselor
  • Missionary

#17 Degree in Linguistic Studies:

Linguistic studies are the study of language. It helps build a career in teaching or research. However, it is also a very competitive field with few job opportunities. 

Even though the unemployment rate is approx 3%, the underemployment rate is a staggering 47%. 

The most common job options are:

  • Teacher
  • Professor
  • Linguist
  • Speech Therapist
  • Translator
  • Interpreter
  • Lexicographer
  • Language Coach

#18 Degree in Theatrical arts

Theatre arts studies the sciences of theater and performance and helps build a career in the theater or performance industry. 

The average unemployment rate is 7.8 percent, with an average salary of $26000, which is amazingly low.

The most common job options are:

  • Actor
  • Director
  • Producer
  • Playwright
  • Stage Manager
  • Technical Director
  • Lighting Designer
  • Costume Designer

Besides this, there are many others with not-so-lucrative careers. For example, political science, bachelor of science, geography, environmental science, natural sciences, performing arts, environmental studies, ecology, etc. 

We won’t call any of them the most useless degrees to avoid, but the job prospects aren’t bright. Make an informed decision.

Most Useless College Degrees – things to remember

Before we jump to conclusions on any of the listed degree programs and undergraduate courses, here are a few things I want to say – 

  • There is no such thing as a ‘useless’ college degree. Every degree has value.
  • The most important thing is what you do with your degree, not the degree itself.
  • The most popular degrees are only sometimes the most useful ones. It all depends on your interests and goals.
  • How much you earn depends on how much you want to make it work and are interested in the field.
  • Many jobs require a college degree, but many people with the same degree compete for those jobs. Choosing a degree, you are passionate about is important because you will be spending a lot of time and money on it.
  • The most important thing is to get a job that you love, and that makes you happy. Money should be one of many factors in choosing a career.

How to make any degree work for you and earn over $100k?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, and it depends on your specific degree, interests, and goals. However, there are a few general tips that can help you make any degree work for you and earn a high salary:

1. Develop a strong work ethic.

2. Be passionate about your chosen field.

3. network and build relationships with people in your chosen field.

4. Get experience, whether through internships or part-time jobs.

5. Stay updated with trends and developments in your chosen field.

6. Be willing to learn new things and continuously improve your skills.

7. Think outside the box and be creative.

8. Have a positive attitude and be persistent.

9. Be willing to work hard and make sacrifices.

10. Be humble and always keep learning.

And last, of all, start a side business or look into entrepreneurship to combine your degree program with what’s working presently.

Some of the things you can do to improve your income

Freelance:

You can use your skills and talents to freelance and earn additional income. You can offer your services online or offline.

Most high-paid freelancing services include:

1. Writing

Holly Johnson is a popular freelance writer who has written for leading publications like Forbes and Business Insiders.

There is noone else you should learn freelance writing from if you want to make money over $200k a year (just like her). Check out her course here.

2. Editing

3. Proofreading

This 76-minute webinar is jam-packed with valuable information on finding out if proofreading is right for you, attracting your ideal proofreading clients and making money online. Check it out.

If you are looking to upskill yourself as a proofreader, I recommend you check this or this out NOW.

4. Web design

5. Graphic design

6. SEO

Stupid Simple SEO (FREE COURSE) – It is the best investment I have made in the blog land. Take Mike’s course, apply it on your blog and you can see the results pouring it. Read detailed review here.

7. Social media marketing

8. Content marketing

Start a side business:

You can have a part-time job even if you have a day job. You can look into starting an online business, becoming a consultant, or teaching online courses.

Some popular online businesses include

Flea Market Flipping: You can buy items at flea markets or garage sales and sell them online for a profit.

Sign up for their FREE workshop on how to flip things and make money online

E-commerce: You can start to sell products or services. Look at the best esty shop ideas.

Blogging: You can blog and monetize through advertising, affiliate marketing, or selling digital goods.

Dropshipping: You can create an online outlet and sell products without carrying any inventory.

Invest Smarter:

Investing is a great way to earn and grow your wealth despite your salary. However, it’s crucial to have a financial plan.

You can learn about different investment options and choose the best fit your goals.

Some popular investment options include:

Upskill Yourself:

If you want to earn more money, it’s essential to continuously upskill yourself and improve your qualifications.

You can do this by taking courses, attending workshops, or reading books. Some popular ways to upskill yourself include:

1. Courses: You can take courses online or offline to improve your skills. Some offer great degree programs alternative.

2. Workshops: You can attend workshops to learn new skills or get hands-on experience.

3. Books: You can read books to learn new information or gain new perspectives.

4. Mentors: You can find a mentor to help you improve your skills and knowledge.

5. Online resources: You can use online resources, such as blogs, podcasts, and video courses, to learn new information or improve your skills.

Shift to a less-expensive city:

If you already have one of the most useless degrees to avoid, look into finding a job in a smaller city.

Moving to a less expensive city might be a good idea if you want to save money. This can help you reduce your living expenses and increase your savings.

What Do You Think About The Most Usless Degrees To Avoid ?

There you have it!

The 18 most useless degrees. While some of these degrees may lead to jobs that are in high demand, they don’t guarantee a high salary or job security.

If you’re considering one of these degrees, be sure to do your research and weigh your options carefully.

In case you already have one of them, we have given you some tips on what you can do to increase your chances of finding employment and boosting your income.

So there is no need to worry because with some effort, you can still find a job that you love and that pays well. We hope this article was helpful, and we wish you the best of luck in your career journey!

Hi buttercup, thank you for stopping by. We’re Chhavi & Amit.

We’re a couple who quit our high paying jobs as a lawyer and an engineer to start hustling online. Now we’re full time bloggers and YouTubers. We have been featured on Wealth of Geeks, Hello Sensible, Savoteur, Play Louder, A Dime Saved, Forbes, Business Insider, Readers Digest, CEO Blog Nation, Starter Story, Yahoo! Finance, MSN, BankRate and so much more.

MSN Bylined Writer

Say a hi here.

Most Usless Degrees To Avoid