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Fastest Growing College Majors - Backed by Real Data
Most articles about fast-growing college majors lean on job projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s useful, but it’s not the same as measuring what students are actually choosing. This article looks at degree-conferral data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) - specifically how many bachelor’s degrees were awarded in each field in 2011-12 versus 2021-22. That’s a 10-year window that cuts through the noise.
Over that period, the total number of bachelor’s degrees awarded in the US grew 12% overall - from about 1.84 million to 2.02 million per year. Fields that outpaced that baseline are the real growth stories. Some doubled. One niche field grew nearly 1,000%. And a few fields that once seemed like safe bets are quietly shrinking.
This is the data that matters when you’re picking a major.
How We Measured Growth
We compared NCES Digest of Education Statistics Table 322.10 figures for bachelor’s degrees conferred by field of study in 2011-12 and 2021-22. The NCES Center of Excellence (COE) indicator tables provided cross-year consistency checks. BLS occupational projections are included to show the downstream job-market context, but the rankings themselves are based on degree conferral counts - not employment forecasts.
This is where most competitors fall short. They cite BLS growth rates for data science (+34%) or information security (+33%) and call those “fastest growing majors.” That’s not what students are studying. The numbers below show what students actually graduated with.
The Fastest Growing College Majors - Ranked by Growth Rate
| Rank | Field | 2011-12 Degrees | 2021-22 Degrees | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Computer & Information Sciences | 47,400 | 108,500 | +129% |
| 2 | Data Science (emerging) | 84 (2019-20) | 897 (2021-22) | +968% |
| 3 | Health Professions & Related | 163,000 | 263,800 | +62% |
| 4 | Engineering | 81,400 | 123,000 | +51% |
| 5 | Biological & Biomedical Sciences | 95,900 | 131,500 | +37% |
| 6 | Data Analytics (emerging) | 325 (2019-20) | 767 (2021-22) | +136% |
| 7 | Math & Statistics | ~steady growth (2009-14: +35%) | continuing through 2022 | ~+35% |
| 8 | Psychology | 109,100 | 129,600 | +19% |
| 9 | Business | 367,200 | 375,400 | +2% |
Computer Science: The Undisputed Leader
Computer science more than doubled its degree output in 10 years, going from roughly 47,400 bachelor’s degrees in 2011-12 to 108,500 in 2021-22. That +129% growth rate leaves every other field in the dust.
Cloud infrastructure, AI/ML roles, and cybersecurity needs all created demand that universities rushed to fill. Entry-level salaries for CS grads consistently outperform most other fields, which reinforced enrollment interest. Within CS, information security is a standout sub-field - BLS projects +33% job growth through 2034, far above the national average. BLS projects computer and IT occupations broadly to grow 11% by 2034.
The pipeline effect is real: roughly twice as many CS graduates are entering the labor market each year compared to a decade ago. That matters for anyone graduating today - more supply means more competition for entry-level roles.
Data Science: Explosive Growth, Tiny Base
Data science barely existed as a major before 2019. By 2021-22, US universities conferred 897 bachelor’s degrees in the field - up from just 84 in 2019-20. That’s a +968% increase in two years.
Those are still small absolute numbers. Less than 1,000 degrees in a single year puts data science in perspective: computer science conferred over 100 times more degrees. But the trajectory is striking. The American Statistical Association and Inside Higher Ed both documented this takeoff in early 2024. The field sits at the intersection of statistics, computer science, and domain expertise - exactly the skill set employers are chasing in the age of AI and machine learning.
BLS projects data scientist jobs to grow 36% through 2034, far above the national average. If the enrollment trend holds, those degree numbers will look quaint in five years.
Data Analytics: The Cousin Catching Up
Closely related, data analytics degrees grew from 325 in 2019-20 to 767 in 2021-22 - a +136% jump. Still a niche field, but growing faster than most established majors.
The distinction from data science matters: data analytics typically emphasizes working with existing datasets and business intelligence tools, while data science leans more toward predictive modeling and machine learning. Both are outcomes of the same employer demand wave.
Math and Statistics: Quietly Growing
Math and statistics degrees grew roughly 35% between 2009 and 2014, and the trend continued through 2022. NCES does not report a clean 2011-12-to-2021-22 comparison for this field the way it does for larger categories, but the trajectory is consistent across multiple data windows. The American Statistical Association has documented steady growth in stats majors as data science programs expanded.
BLS projects mathematician and statistician roles to grow 33% by 2034 - one of the highest rates for any single occupation category. Math grads who pair the degree with programming or domain expertise (biology, finance, economics) are particularly competitive in today’s job market.
Health Professions: The Volume Champion
If computer science wins on growth rate, health professions wins on raw scale. Over 263,800 bachelor’s degrees in health professions were conferred in 2021-22, up from 163,000 in 2011-12. That’s a +62% increase and roughly 100,000 additional graduates per year entering the healthcare workforce.
This isn’t just nursing, though RN programs drive a significant chunk. Health administration, public health, allied health fields, and healthcare management all contributed. An aging US population is the obvious driver. BLS projects healthcare administration roles to grow 23% through 2034, and registered nurses at +6% - though the latter figure understates the volume of hiring because the base is enormous.
For job security, health professions is the strongest case on this list. The demand is structural, not cyclical.
Engineering: Steady, Substantial Growth
Engineering grew from 81,400 to 123,000 degrees (+51%) - steady and significant. It’s not as explosive as CS, but it’s consistently outpaced the overall degree-growth baseline of +12%.
Mechanical, electrical, and civil engineering still draw the largest cohorts. Software engineering and computer engineering have driven much of the recent gain as those roles blurred into CS territory. Chemical and materials engineering grew more slowly.
Salary context: median starting salaries for engineering grads consistently rank among the highest of any bachelor’s-level field. BLS data supports continued demand across most engineering disciplines through the 2034 projection period.
Biological and Biomedical Sciences: Research Demand Drives Growth
Degrees in biological and biomedical sciences rose from 95,900 to 131,500 (+37%). The biomedical research boom - accelerated by COVID-19 vaccine and therapeutics development - fed into this growth. Genomics, biotechnology, and pharmacology programs expanded across research universities.
Graduate school is the typical path for bio grads. The bachelor’s alone doesn’t open most research doors, which is a nuance worth knowing. But the pipeline into medical school, PA programs, and biotech PhDs runs through these degrees.
Psychology: Slow and Steady
Psychology grew 19% (109,100 to 129,600) - above the overall baseline but not dramatic. The field covers a wide range of outcomes: clinical practice, organizational psychology, UX research, social work, and graduate school preparation.
Median salaries for entry-level psychology roles tend to be modest compared to CS or engineering. But the field opens doors to some of the fastest-growing human services occupations, including mental health counseling, where demand has surged.
Business: Flat
Business conferred 375,400 degrees in 2021-22, up just 2% from 367,200 in 2011-12. That’s effectively flat against the overall +12% baseline.
Business is by far the largest degree category by volume - nearly twice as many as the next largest field. But it’s not growing faster than the overall market. saturation is the likely cause. Nearly every university offers a business degree, and the degree-to-career payoff varies enormously depending on concentration (finance, accounting, and management information systems outperform general business).
Fields That Are Declining
Growth stories gain context from the other direction. Here’s what’s shrinking.
Education: Down 15%
Education degrees fell from roughly 104,700 (2012-13) to 89,400 (2021-22), a -15% decline. This aligns with reported teacher shortages and declining public-sector hiring in K-12. Lower compensation relative to other fields, increasing administrative burden, and political pressures on schools all contributed.
Education still confers a meaningful number of degrees, but the trend line is clear: fewer students are choosing it.
Social Sciences and History: Down 15%
Social sciences and history dropped from approximately 177,800 to 151,100 degrees (-15%). This broad category includes political science, sociology, anthropology, and history - fields with highly variable career outcomes and no direct professional credential attached.
The decline mirrors broader scrutiny of the ROI of liberal arts degrees, particularly in a tight labor market where students are increasingly drawn to technical credentials.
Visual and Performing Arts: Down 8%
Degrees in visual and performing arts fell from roughly 97,800 (2012-13) to 90,200 (2021-22), an -8% decline. The creative economy exists, but it’s not absorbing more bachelor’s-level graduates year over year. Many students in these fields pursue additional credentials or pivot to adjacent industries (design, marketing, gaming) where art skills combine with commercial demand.
What’s Behind the Shifts?
Three macro forces explain most of what the data shows.
The digital economy reshaped every field around it. Computer science, data science, and data analytics all grew because employers need people who can build, maintain, and extract value from digital systems. This isn’t a trend that’s reversing - it’s the new baseline.
An aging population is driving healthcare demand with structural permanence. The 65-and-older US population is projected to grow substantially through 2034. That creates demand across nursing, health administration, geriatric care, and biomedical research - all fed by health professions degrees.
The ROI question is reshaping student choices. Students and families are increasingly cost-conscious about college. Fields with clear, high-paying career pathways (CS, engineering, nursing) attract more applicants. Fields with ambiguous career outcomes (education, social sciences, humanities) face enrollment pressure even when they serve vital social functions.
COVID-19 also distorted short-term trends. The 2020-21 academic year was an anomaly - enrollment shifted toward technology and health fields at accelerated rates as students reassessed career risk. The 2011-12 to 2021-22 window smooths that spike out, which is why we use it.
Bottom Line
Computer science and health professions lead the growth rankings by different measures: CS by percentage gain, health by absolute volume. Data science is the field to watch - explosive growth from a near-zero base, with every signal pointing to continued expansion.
Growth rate isn’t the only factor worth considering. High-growth fields attract more competition. A CS degree from 2025 faces a very different entry-level job market than one from 2015. And raw degree counts don’t capture the value of personal fit - a major you finish and excel in outperforms a “hot” major you abandon.
Use this data alongside salary information and your own interests. The numbers tell you what’s growing. The decision about what to study is yours.
Degree conferral data: NCES Digest of Education Statistics, Table 322.10, 2011-12 and 2021-22. Emerging field data: NCES IPEDS via American Statistical Association and Inside Higher Ed (January 2024). BLS occupational projections: Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024-34 data.