For some reason, I was thinking today on what advice I would give a high school senior on picking a college major. Now, I believe in education for its own sake, and I believe there is a difference between education and training, but I would still have to advise someone who asked to consider a major with significant economic value. I think I would recommend a fairly traditional science or engineering degree to most people, because this leaves open many options for specialization in graduate school.

I think computer science will continue to be a hot field for the foreseeable future, and genetics is probably the emerging hot field right now. You really couldn’t go wrong picking one of these two majors.

If you want to go the computer science route, the obvious major is, well computer science. There are also computer engineering programs out there, and either electrical or mechanical engineering would be a good undergraduate foundation while leaving options open for a number of different careers. Good old mathematics is also an option.

If you want to go the genetics route, biology is the obvious major. Chemistry or chemical engineering would also lead to your knowing your way around a laboratory, while leaving all sorts of possible career options open in the chemical, energy, and pharmaceutical industries. Some schools have programs in biological, biomedical, and agricultural engineering that might have relevant training.

If these majors just aren’t your thing, other remaining traditional professions like law, medicine/nursing, architecture, and accounting should still be reasonable career paths. Teaching and child care are honorable professions but don’t get paid what they are worth to society, at least in the United States. You have to be a little careful with accounting, because you hear so much about basic bookkeeping functions being automated. But people who really understand the tax code and helping companies comply with financial laws should always be in demand. I might put my own profession of civil and environmental engineering in this category – it is not a path to fantastic wealth, but it is not likely to go away. Chemical engineering probably gives a person more flexibility to work in either the public or private sector, but it was just not my thing. I have no regrets about the path I have chosen and would recommend it to anyone if the field really interests you.

Now, if you really have your heart set on a liberal arts or fine arts degree, I think that is great. I might advise someone to do some training in a skill on the side or over the summers. You can still make a living as a plumber, electrician, or mechanic, for example. You can also learn to work with specialized software such as geographic information systems.