For those students who go head straight into their passion and study what they truly love in college, life seems pretty straightforward, doesn’t it? But for the rest of us, choosing a college major that is both fun and pays well is nerve-wracking. But what are the most fun majors? And do they even pay well?
You might be wondering how can a college major be both rewarding and fun at the same time. Well, if you are as confused as most students are about your choice, we are here to let you in on a few secrets and show you our interesting career list.
We realize college, in general, is an incredibly stressful couple of years for people. Still, it really does not have to be. The key to having a successful experience is learning how to have fun with it. The ultimate way to do that is to pick a fun college major that pays well. We know that sounds crazy unrealistic, but trust us on this one; we are about to blow you away.
First Things First: What Makes a Job Fun?
The concept of a fun job varies from one person to another. Some people can find difficult, challenging situations more enjoyable, and in contrast, others prefer small, repetitive tasks. However, here’s the kicker: we all still look for easy yet fun ways to go about our jobs.
Here are the top 6 job perks that no one would say no to:
- Inspiration: when you pick a person’s brain who is incredibly passionate about their jobs, you are bound to feel some motivation. This often happens with mentors, coworkers, or even managers in the same work environment.
- Creative freedom: by that, we mean having the power to make your own decisions at work without always having to get approval. This entails being responsible for your own mistakes and decisions sometimes, without having to await approval.
- Flexibility: 42% of the American population is estimated to become freelancers by the end of 2021! That is a crazy number! No one would turn down an easy job opportunity where flexibility and freedom are offered.
- Variety: having the privilege of working on something new every other day. No one relishes repetitive work even if it’s easy; that never motivates people to continue their jobs.
- Interaction: introvert or extrovert, being around people gives you energy. You do not always want to be around your colleagues, but working alone for prolonged periods is never good for someone’s mental health.
- Money: here’s the deal, no one wants to do a fun job with a minimum wage salary. Despite all the other perks, we are all looking for a fun job that will actually pay you well. You cannot be a dog walker forever, can you?
Which College Majors are the Most Fun?
Sometimes our goals in life align with different career paths that have nothing to do with how much we get paid. In fact, our goal for studying in college should change over time. We should not only be looking for the highest paying majors; we should also focus on ones that will obtain you a fulfilling life.
So, what are the most fun majors? Here are some of the most exciting and fun college majors that also pay well:
- Animation. This is the most underrated college major. Yes, you need a lot of creativity and skill, but you can constantly develop and gain with experience.
Animators tend to be synonymous with happiness and find their careers incredibly fun and fulfilling. Moreover, through experience and hard work, you can work with Disney, Pixar, Dreamworks, and many more! - Viticulture and enology. Viticulture is the study of grape cultivation, and Enology is wine and winemaking. If you love wine tasting, then this is the college major for you!
It sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? However, think about it this way: there are always new and upcoming wine businesses. You can work as a consultant or even a mere taster! Moreover, you do get to travel the world and experience cultures. - Pop culture. Surprisingly, this major does not pop up as often as it should. All the way from music, art, fashion to communication outlets such as radio and television.
This job is enjoyable as you have numerous different career paths ahead of you. You can become a writer, a journalist, or a content strategist. Imagine interviewing celebrities, famous figures, and politicians! - Physical education. This college major is often an underrated one. If you are a sports fanatic and love exercising, you should probably consider majoring in physical education.
Not only is it fun, but it is incredibly challenging and rewarding. You can help people enhance their lifestyles, become healthier, and inspire them. - Bakery Science. We know this college major sounds weird, but you have no idea how fun it could be! Bakery science allows you to experiment with different commercial equipment to make all kinds of other sweets.
The incredibly fun part about this major is that you can open up your own baking business afterward, become a sales manager, or even research manager. This might just be the college major for you if you love food as much as we do!
What are the Most Fun Jobs that Pay Well?
A fun job would also require a fun college major. But what are easy majors that pay well? There are numerous easy college degrees that pay well, but not all of them are fun.
Here is our interesting career list:
- Railroad track maintenance. Starting off, you will get approximately 20 dollars an hour on this job. Not only that, but you also get to see beautiful scenery throughout your day, and you get frequent breaks when trains are passing by!
To become a railroad track maintenance worker, you will have to major in mechanical engineering in college. This could be a challenging major, but it is easy to manage and focus on during classes. - Welding. Are you someone who prefers working with their hands and do not mind traveling around? This might just be the career path for you! Welders can make an insane amount of money, with entry-level positions starting off at $62,000 per year.
Maybe these other easy college degrees are not for you, even if they do pay well. You would instead obtain a certificate that qualifies you to be a welder. That way, you also get to avoid that insane amount of student loans! - Grading standardized test essays: yes, this job might be draining when you have a lot of material to read through, but it is also amusing! Imagine you get to read kids’ essays all the time? The creative and funny material you will stumble upon making the job worth it.
This is a very fun job, and it would pay quite well, as all high school students have to take standardized tests. Recruiters are always looking for new talent to hire, and you probably would not even have to work throughout the year!
What Majors Pay the Most and Which Pay the Least?
Now: what about the fun college majors that pay the most? The top-paying college majors are often the hardest, but that does not mean fun and high-paying ones do not exist. We all look for easy college majors that pay well, and we also look for the most fun majors.
If you are willing to put in the hard work, the long hours, and all the hassling around, then an electrical or chemical engineering college major is the way to go. However, we all know that is not the definition of fun and will end up being incredibly draining. Hence, here is a list of the highest-paying college majors that can also be fun:
- Computer programming: the average salary is $102,300 annually. The beautiful thing about it is the availability of freelance and remote job opportunities.
- Illustrators: with a $100,940 average annual salary, illustration can be the most fun and rewarding job out there. You can also work in numerous different fields.
- Fashion: average annual salary is $92,860 and very entertaining if you love art and fashion. You will lead a hectic life, but you will also be exposed to a different world.
- Leisure and recreation: recreation agency directors average $100,250 annually. It is the perfect college major if you are outdoorsy and outgoing!
What about college majors to avoid if money is what you are after? Despite some of the below majors being incredibly fun and appealing, you might want to avoid them if your goal is stability and saving up. At the end of the day, we all want to pay off our student loans and be able to pay money!
Some of the college majors that pay the least:
- Rehabilitation services. Working in a rehabilitation center will earn you as little as $10 an hour, which is incredibly low for the work and dedication required.
- Speech and hearing therapy. Early career pay is as low as $40,000 a year due to the rapidly advancing hearing and speech aids technology.
- Baking and pastry arts. This is different than bakery science; pursuing baking as your initial career can be challenging as food blogs have been sweeping over social media.
- Despite this being a very fun job, pursuing this college major is unrewarding, with a pay of $38,300 annually.
5 Factors to Consider When Choosing a College Major
Choosing a college major can be very stressful and time-consuming. You do not want to end up wasting years of your life studying a college major that is of no interest to you. An interesting career list is not the only thing you should be looking at, as there are numerous other factors to consider.
Here are 5 factors to consider when choosing a college major:
- Passion: are you passionate about something specific? If you are, it does make things that much easier. Sure, you cannot continuously pursue a passion of yours that does not lead to a solid career path, but you can work around it.
For instance, if you like writing, think about pursuing a career in content writing or journalism. Literature and English majors do not earn you that much money, but content writing and journalism can land you fun and high-pay jobs. - Location: research your majors of interest and find out where they are offered. Are they too expensive? Are they incredibly far away? Does the curriculum suck? These questions are pragmatic but necessary.
The availability of your college major of choice will be influenced by your geographical location, and it should be. Part of going off to college is the experience, but you do not want to sacrifice too much of your mental health for a major either. - Workload: consider how the workload is going to be and how much time you’ll spend working. For example, architecture is a fun and rewarding major, but you will spend an average of 22 hours a week working.
Consult an academic counselor when it comes to this. Suppose you are someone who still wants to pursue extracurricular activities and other interests. In that case, you should find a major that is not too work-heavy. - Money: yes, of course. The money incentive is what everyone is going after. Research your major of interest, and find out how the pay would look like in the future.
Moreover, numerous majors give you enough free time to pursue internships or jobs throughout your academic life. If you seek that, make sure you research job opportunities you can qualify for before graduating from college. - Communication: talk to people who have taken this college major before. Not only that, but try to find fresh graduates from the university or college you are considering. That way, you get reliable and honest opinions.
Contacting these people is relatively easy. You can do that through social media groups, getting them through college websites, or simply ask the university to provide you with students’ emails or details.
Wrapping Things Up: Fun College Majors that Pay Well
In a nutshell, all college majors have their perks and their downsides. However, choosing a major does not always have to be tedious. You can find a fun college major that you actually like while also getting good pay from it. All you have to do is research, communicate, evaluate, and reflect.
With the continuously evolving world we live in, you have numerous fun jobs available. All the way from wine-tasting, animation, engineering to recreation, you are bound to find a college major that you like.
Do not ever settle for a high-paying college major that you are not passionate about. Not only will that wreak havoc on your mental health, but you might not end up succeeding in college to qualify for the high-paying jobs you were running after. If you find you’re passionate about one of the above fun majors that pay well, go for it. Do not hesitate to follow your dreams.
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