Spotlight for Career Services Professionals
Employer demand by individual major at the bachelor’s degree level has shifted back to a mix of both business and technical degrees, according to results of NACE’s Job Outlook 2019 survey.
Most notably, engineering majors return to the list of majors most in demand. Last year, there were no engineering majors among the top 10; eight of the spots were filled by business majors.
This year, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and computer engineering are interspersed throughout the list. (See Figure 1.)
Just like last year, finance and accounting are the top two bachelor’s degree majors in demand. In addition, computer science is fourth on the list and information science is seventh, the positions both held last year.
Data for the Job Outlook 2019 survey were collected from August 1, 2018, through October 8, 2018. A total of 172 surveys were returned—an 18.5 percent response rate. The Job Outlook 2019 report is available free to members through MyNACE. Nonmembers can purchase the report through the NACE Store.
Figure 1: Top Degrees in Demand, Bachelor’s Degree Level
Major |
% of Total Respondents
That Will Hire |
Finance |
64.4% |
Accounting |
61.4% |
Mechanical engineering |
56.4% |
Computer science |
55.4% |
Business administration/management |
54.5% |
Electrical engineering |
52.5% |
Information science |
51.5% |
Logistics/supply chain |
48.5% |
Management information systems |
48.5% |
Computer engineering |
45.5% |
Source: Job Outlook 2019, National Association of Colleges and Employers