The study—titled “African Americans: College Majors and Earnings”—found that, while African-Americans represent 12 percent of the U.S. population, they are underrepresented in the “fastest-growing, highest-paying” majors: STEM, health and business.
Specifically, the study found that African-Americans represent just 8 percent of general engineering majors, 7 percent of mathematics majors, and 5 percent of computer engineering majors.
In business, African-American students represent just 7 percent of finance and marketing majors.
African-American students represent 10 percent of health majors but tend to be “clustered” in the lowest-earning detailed majors within the health field—health and medical administrative services (21 percent)—whereas African-American students represent just 6 percent of the higher-paying detailed major of pharmacy, pharmaceutical sciences and administration.
In a random, unscientific survey conducted by a Diverse reporter, African-American students—apprised of the Georgetown study—virtually across the board said the most important thing to consider in choosing a major is finding something that aligns with one’s personal passion and interests, not something that brings the most money.
“We might kind of be our own demise because we’re not necessarily like thinking about the big picture,” conceded Omar Lewis, 18, a freshman at Howard University and a wingback for the school’s soccer team who is majoring in print journalism.
