5 Worst College Majors for Your Career

Some fields of study can lead to low pay and limited job opportunities.

College is expensive, and student loans can take years to repay, so it makes sense to study a subject that will quite literally pay off in the long run. Equally important, it helps to know which majors are unlikely to lead to fat paychecks and ample employment opportunities.

We analyzed data for 126 popular college majors to determine which majors typically come with the best hiring prospects and pay. Here are the 5 majors that landed at the bottom of the list.

1. Photography

Starting salary: $38,600 (median for all majors: $43,250)

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Mid-career salary: $56,500 (median for all majors: $74,700)

Annual online job postings: 7,788

2. Art

Starting salary: $37,000

Mid-career salary: $59,600

Annual online job postings: 12,562

3. Radio & Television

Starting salary: $38,600

Mid-career salary: $64,100

Annual online job postings: 7,355

4. Anthropology

Starting salary: $40,500

Mid-career salary: $63,200

Annual online job postings: 733

5. Graphic Design

Starting salary: $40,200

Mid-career salary: $61,700

Annual online job postings: 30,910

See more of the worst college majors for your career.

Stacy Rapacon
Online Editor, Kiplinger.com

Rapacon joined Kiplinger in October 2007 as a reporter with Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine and became an online editor for Kiplinger.com in June 2010. She previously served as editor of the "Starting Out" column, focusing on personal finance advice for people in their twenties and thirties.

Before joining Kiplinger, Rapacon worked as a senior research associate at b2b publishing house Judy Diamond Associates. She holds a B.A. degree in English from the George Washington University.