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College major quiz
Not sure what to major in? Rate 60 everyday activities and see which college majors fit what you enjoy, with the careers each one leads to, typical pay and job outlook.
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What should I major in?
In short: choose a major you will enjoy studying and that leads to work you will enjoy doing. A college major quiz built on interests helps with both: this one scores your interests on the six Holland types, finds the careers whose interest pattern matches yours, and then shows the majors those careers are studied through, using the official U.S. list that links college programmes to jobs.
Picking a major is easier when you start from what you like doing rather than from a list of hundreds of programme names. Most college major tests ask a few broad questions and hand you a category such as "STEM". This major quiz goes further: it uses a validated interest measure, the O*NET Interest Profiler of the U.S. Department of Labor, and links your interests to 336 specific majors through the careers they lead to.
The result is a shortlist, not a verdict. Use it to find two or three majors worth a closer look, then read their course lists and talk to students already in them. If you are deciding on a career rather than a field of study, the career test uses the same questions and lists jobs instead.
How the college major quiz works
Rate 60 activities
Say how much you would enjoy tasks such as "teach a high-school class" or "conduct chemical experiments", from strongly dislike to strongly like. Experience and grades don't matter, only enjoyment.
Get your Holland code
Your answers give a score from 0 to 40 for each of six interest types. Your top three, in order, make your Holland code, for example SIA: Social, Investigative, Artistic.
See majors that fit
Every major is linked to the careers it leads to. Majors whose careers share your interest pattern come first, grouped by field, each with typical pay and job outlook.
What your result shows
This is part of a real result, worked out by the quiz for someone whose strongest interests are Social, then Investigative, then Artistic. Your own result lists about 12 majors across several fields, and a switch shows the matching careers instead.
Public administration and social work
- Social workLeads to: marriage and family therapists$66,940+13.5% jobs to 2035
Psychology
- PsychologyLeads to: clinical and counseling psychologists$100,580+11.7% jobs to 2035
Education
- Special education and teachingLeads to: special education teachers, secondary school$74,260-0.2% jobs to 2035
- Elementary education and teachingLeads to: elementary school teachers, except special education$63,970-0.4% jobs to 2035
Pay: U.S. median for 2025. Job change: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projections, 2025 to 2035.
Is a college major quiz accurate?
It depends on what the quiz measures and whether there is evidence behind it, so check both before you trust any result. Interest measures have that evidence. In a study of 3,072 students at 15 four-year colleges and 788 students at 13 two-year colleges, students whose major matched their measured interests were more likely to finish their degree on time, in both kinds of college (Allen and Robbins, 2010).
The same pattern runs through decades of studies: a quantitative summary of more than 60 years of research linked interests to how well people perform and how long they stay, both in college and in jobs (Nye and colleagues, 2012). The theory behind this quiz is John Holland's: people and work environments can both be described by the same six interest types, and people tend to do best where the two match.
There are limits. Interests are only one part of a good choice. A quiz cannot see your grades, the courses your college offers, what you can afford or how long you want to study. Use the result to decide which majors to look into first, and check each one against those practical points.
College majors by interest type
Holland drew the six interest types as a hexagon: types next to each other have more in common than types across from each other. Choose a type to see four majors that suit it and a career each one leads to.
Realistic majors
For people who enjoy building, fixing and operating things, and working with tools, machines and real materials.
- Mechanical engineeringLeads to: mechanical engineers$104,110+11.2% jobs to 2035
- Electrical and electronics engineeringLeads to: electrical engineers$120,630+9.9% jobs to 2035
- Civil engineeringLeads to: civil engineers$100,840+6.4% jobs to 2035
- Airline/commercial/professional pilot and flight crewLeads to: airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers$232,140+8.3% jobs to 2035
Investigative majors
For people who enjoy researching, analysing, testing ideas and solving problems with facts and data.
- Computer scienceLeads to: data scientists$120,230+34.6% jobs to 2035
- Information technologyLeads to: software developers$135,980+10.2% jobs to 2035
- Nursing scienceLeads to: nurse practitioners$132,300+41% jobs to 2035
- Clinical laboratory science/medical technologyLeads to: medical and clinical laboratory technologists$62,930+2.7% jobs to 2035
Artistic majors
For people who enjoy creating, designing, writing and performing, with room for self-expression.
- Graphic designLeads to: art directors$114,850+4.2% jobs to 2035
- Human-centered technology designLeads to: video game designers$104,000+6% jobs to 2035
- JournalismLeads to: editors$77,920-1.1% jobs to 2035
- Computer graphicsLeads to: graphic designers$62,960-1.7% jobs to 2035
Social majors
For people who enjoy helping, teaching, advising and caring for people.
- Registered nursingLeads to: registered nurses$97,550+5.6% jobs to 2035
- Substance abuse/addiction counselingLeads to: mental health counselors$60,320+10.9% jobs to 2035
- Human resources developmentLeads to: training and development specialists$69,280+10.8% jobs to 2035
- Elementary education and teachingLeads to: elementary school teachers, except special education$63,970-0.4% jobs to 2035
Enterprising majors
For people who enjoy leading, persuading, selling and running projects or businesses.
- Health/health care administration/managementLeads to: medical and health services managers$123,860+24.2% jobs to 2035
- FinanceLeads to: financial managers$166,570+9.7% jobs to 2035
- Marketing/marketing managementLeads to: market research analysts and marketing specialists$78,760+7% jobs to 2035
- Human resources management/personnel administrationLeads to: human resources specialists$75,940+6.4% jobs to 2035
Conventional majors
For people who enjoy organising information, working with numbers and data, and following clear procedures.
- Computer and information sciencesLeads to: computer and information systems managers$175,140+15.8% jobs to 2035
- Business administration and managementLeads to: management analysts$101,860+10.1% jobs to 2035
- AccountingLeads to: accountants and auditors$83,680+5% jobs to 2035
- Purchasing, procurement/acquisitions and contracts managementLeads to: purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products$77,710+6% jobs to 2035
Majors and careers linked by the CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk (NCES and BLS). Pay: U.S. median, 2025; job change: BLS projections, 2025 to 2035. Find your own type.
The most popular college majors
U.S. colleges awarded 1,974,834 bachelor's degrees in the 2023-24 academic year, counting each graduate's first major. These ten programmes awarded the most. Popular majors are widely offered, which helps if you are unsure; but popularity says nothing about whether a major fits you, which is what the quiz is for.
| Major | Bachelor's degrees, 2023-24 |
|---|---|
| Registered nursing | 147,345 |
| Business administration and management | 133,922 |
| Psychology | 114,398 |
| Biology | 75,145 |
| Computer science | 44,627 |
| Finance | 42,051 |
| Marketing | 40,667 |
| Accounting | 37,839 |
| Political science and government | 34,454 |
| Mechanical engineering | 33,126 |
Source: NCES, IPEDS Completions survey, 2023-24, first majors at bachelor's level. Business and health together accounted for nearly a third of all bachelor's degrees.
Choosing a major when you're undecided
Being undecided is common, and so is changing your mind. A U.S. Department of Education study of students who started college in 2011-12 found that about a third of those in bachelor's degree programmes changed their major within three years, and about 1 in 10 changed more than once. About half (52%) of students who started in mathematics switched, compared with 35% across all science, technology, engineering and maths majors.
A change of major costs less early on, so a little structure in your first year helps:
- Start with interests. Take the quiz and write down the fields that come up first in your result.
- Read the course lists. For each major on your shortlist, look at the required courses at your college. Would you enjoy most of them?
- Follow the careers. Check what graduates of each major go on to do, with pay and job outlook, in your result or the full report.
- Try before you declare. Take an introductory course, join a related club or talk to a student a year or two ahead of you.
- Keep a second choice. Pick general education courses that count towards your top two majors, so switching costs no extra time.
Choosing a career at the same time? Our guide on how to choose a career covers the career side step by step.
A college major quiz for high school students
The quiz suits high school students choosing what to apply for. The activities describe everyday tasks, such as drawing pictures, keeping inventory records or helping people with problems, so no work experience is needed. If you have not started thinking about majors yet, your result gives you vocabulary for it: names of fields and majors you can search for at the colleges on your list.
Interests often keep developing through the teenage years. Take the quiz again in a year or so: majors that stay near the top of both results are a strong sign. Parents and school counsellors can use the result as a starting point for a conversation, not as an answer.
Majors and money
Earnings differ a lot by major, and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York publishes early-career and mid-career wages by major, updated each year. Much of that difference comes from the careers each major leads to, so the most useful question is not "which major pays most" but "which careers that I would enjoy pay enough for me".
That is how the quiz shows money: next to each major, the U.S. median pay and projected job growth of a career it leads to and that fits your interests. A high-paying career you dislike is hard to stay in; a well-matched one with modest pay may need a plan for cost and debt. Seeing both helps you balance them.
Double majors and minors
If your result shows two fields you like, for example psychology and computer science, you don't always have to choose. A double major or a minor can combine them. It works best when the pair builds something useful together, such as a science major with a writing minor for science communication, or business with a language for international work.
Before you commit, check your college's credit rules: some double majors fit in four years, others add courses or a term. A minor is usually lighter than a second major and still shows employers a second strength.
Free result and full report
| Included | Free result | Full report$6.99 one-time |
|---|---|---|
| Your Holland code and six interest scores | ✓ included | ✓ included |
| About 12 majors that fit you, by field | ✓ included | ✓ included |
| A career for each major, with pay and job outlook | ✓ included | ✓ included |
| Switch to careers that match your interests | ✓ included | ✓ included |
| About 30 majors across up to 10 fields | – not included | ✓ included |
| Your 40 closest careers, with tasks, pay and growth | – not included | ✓ included |
| Your next step at each level of training | – not included | ✓ included |
| A 30-day plan to test your top choices, and a PDF | – not included | ✓ included |
One-time payment, no subscription. The quiz and the free result stay free.
College major quiz questions
What is a college major quiz?
A college major quiz suggests fields of study that fit you. This one measures your interests with 60 everyday activities, finds the careers whose interest pattern matches yours, and shows the college majors those careers are usually studied through, grouped by field.
Is this college major quiz free?
Yes. The quiz and your result, with your Holland code and your best-fitting majors by field, are free and shown on screen, with no account or email address. An optional full report costs $6.99 once and adds about 30 majors, your 40 closest careers and a 30-day plan.
How long does the major quiz take?
Most people finish in 5 to 20 minutes, the range the O*NET Interest Profiler Manual gives for the web version of the 60 activities. Your answers are saved as you go, so you can stop and come back to the same quiz later.
How accurate is a college major quiz?
A major quiz is as good as what it measures. Interest measures have the most research behind them: in a study of nearly 3,900 students at 28 colleges, those whose major matched their measured interests were more likely to finish their degree on time. Treat your result as a well-founded shortlist, not a verdict.
What should I major in if I have no idea?
Start from what you enjoy doing, not from subjects you think you ought to study. Take the quiz, note the two or three fields that come up first, read what students in those majors actually study, and check the careers each one leads to before you decide.
Can high school students take the college major quiz?
Yes. The activities describe everyday tasks and need no work experience, so the quiz suits high school students choosing what to study. Interests can still shift in your teens, so take it again a year or so later and see which majors stay near the top.
What is the difference between a major quiz and a career test?
They use the same 60 questions but answer different questions. A career test lists jobs that fit your interests; a college major quiz lists the programmes of study that lead to those jobs. Your result has a switch, so you can see both from one set of answers.
Which major should I choose to make money?
Pay depends far more on the career a major leads to than on the major itself, so compare careers, not just majors. Your result shows the U.S. median pay and projected job growth of the career each major leads to, so you can weigh earnings against how much the work suits you.
Is it normal to change your major?
Yes, very. U.S. Department of Education figures show that about a third of bachelor's degree students change their major within three years of starting college, and about 1 in 10 change more than once.
Should I double major or add a minor?
Add a second major or a minor when it builds a combination you want, such as a technical major with a communication minor, not just to keep options open. Check your college's credit rules first, because a double major can add courses or time.
Is the college major quiz based on personality?
No, it measures interests: the kinds of activities you enjoy. Personality is a separate question. For that, take the free Big Five personality test, and the full report can show your interests and personality side by side.
What happens to my answers?
Your answers and result stay private. We do not ask for your name or email, your result has its own private link, and you can delete it from the result page at any time.
About this quiz
The quiz uses the 60 activities of the O*NET Interest Profiler Short Form and the O*NET 30.1 database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), under the O*NET Tools Developer License and CC BY 4.0. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Our changes: activities are shown one at a time, and majors are ranked through the careers they lead to; the activities, answers and scoring are unchanged. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Majors come from CIP 2020, linked to careers by the NCES and BLS crosswalk, and include programmes with at least 300 bachelor's degrees a year in the U.S.
Sources
- Allen, J., and Robbins, S. (2010). Effects of interest-major congruence, motivation, and academic performance on timely degree attainment. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 57(1), 23-35. doi.org/10.1037/a0017267
- Nye, C. D., Su, R., Rounds, J., and Drasgow, F. (2012). Vocational interests and performance: a quantitative summary of over 60 years of research. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 7(4), 384-403. doi.org/10.1177/1745691612449021
- National Center for Education Statistics (2017). Beginning College Students Who Change Their Majors Within 3 Years of Enrollment (NCES 2018-434). nces.ed.gov
- National Center for Education Statistics. IPEDS Completions survey, 2023-24. nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- NCES and BLS. CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. nces.ed.gov
- National Center for O*NET Development. O*NET Interest Profiler Short Form and Interest Profiler Manual. onetcenter.org
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment Projections 2025 to 2035 and median wages. bls.gov
- Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The Labor Market for Recent College Graduates. newyorkfed.org
- Holland, J. L. (1997). Making Vocational Choices: A Theory of Vocational Personalities and Work Environments (3rd ed.). Psychological Assessment Resources.
Find majors that fit what you enjoy
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