Answer: 46% (according to a survey of 1,000 college graduates)

Questions:

1. Which majors do you think are more likely to lead to a job in that field?
2. What steps can you take to prepare yourself for employment, regardless of which major you choose?
3. Given that almost 3/4 of college grads end up in fields that are not related to their major, do you think it's a good idea to consider multiple majors while in college? 

Click here for the ready-to-go slides for this Question of the Day that you can use in your classroom.

Behind the numbers (Intelligent):

"In addition to dealing with financial insecurity, only 46% of college grads surveyed say they currently work in their field of study. 29% report working in a different field, while 16% of those under age 54 (and therefore not likely retired) say they are currently unemployed.

Respondents were very divided when it came to their prospects of finding a well-paying job in their field of study, ostensibly the goal of any college graduate. 22% say they are very hopeful they’ll attain a well-paying job in their field, 31% are somewhat hopeful, 26% are not very hopeful, and 21% are not at all hopeful."

--------------

What's the value of a college degree? Check out this Data Crunch to answer the question. 

--------------

Looking for more resources for your college going students? Check out the Paying for College Unit Page. 

About the Authors

Tim Ranzetta

Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.