Is a double major worth the trouble?

Graduating with a double major has become more prevalent in recent years, but it’s tough to determine whether it’s worthwhile.

As spring graduation nears, many seniors face anxiety towards the future. Will I get a good job? Will I be able to pay off my student loans? Was this expensive piece of paper worth it? Those questions can trouble any student. But when planning for the future, there is one answer a rising number of students have been selecting in preparation for the job market — the double major.

During the last 20 years, schools have experienced an upward trend in double major rates. The Daily Iowan reports the number of double majors attending the University of Iowa has increased from 3,501 students in 2000 to 6,905 students in 2012. Nearly 40 percent of students at Vanderbilt University are on the double major track, according to a 2012 study conducted by Steven J. Tepper and Richard Pitt. The same study also reports that the number of double majors at MIT has doubled since 1993.

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As Tepper and Pitt highlight, there are many factors to consider when examining the increase in double majors. For instance, post-secondary education programs along with AP classes give high school graduates greater access to credit hours. With a number of courses already under their belt, students are more open to pursue a second major as the foundation they’ve built prior to freshman year permits them this flexibility.

Another possible factor may be a perceived growth in job competitiveness over the last 20 years. Tepper and Pitt report 76 percent of double majors say preparation for work was one of the motivations for double majoring.     

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As far as costs and benefits after college, double majors see a wide variety of outcomes. When graduates’ age, gender, race and parents’ education levels are controlled, double majors report earning $782 less in average annual income than their single major counterparts. Tepper and Pitt find the difference to be greater for recent graduates — double majors categorized as such make $1,300 less than single majors when some demographic characteristics are controlled.

•The 10 Most Common Double Major Combinations

According to Double Majors: Influences, Identities & Impacts by Steven J. Tepper and Richard Pitt.

One reason for the disparity income may be the nature of primary majors most commonly paired with a second major. For example, the extensive work required for a STEM degree often impedes students the opportunity of pursuing a second major. As a tradeoff, the STEM degree traditionally provides higher annual income. When looking at the 10 most common double major combinations, that explains why foreign language makes up six of the 10 pairings

In a 2008 study, Alison F. Del Rossia and Joni Hersch found that double majors make 1.4 to 2.3 percent more in annual income than single majors whose focus area corresponds to one of the two double major’s focus areas. Essentially, a double-major graduate will likely earn a greater income than a single major who studied just one of the two majors they had earned.

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In turn, one benefit of taking up two majors is the marginal product of creativity it fosters. In a self-reported study, Tepper and Pitt find that 64 percent of double major graduates say their double major studies have “enhanced” or “greatly enhanced” their ability to think creatively. The intangible nature of creativity makes it hard to factor into the double major debate. If earning a dual major leads to creative insights that previously would not have occurred, then it’s something students should consider when planning a graduation path. 

David Holman is a junior studying screenwriting and producing at Ohio University and a research assistant at the Center for College Affordability and Productivity. Columns will be written by a different CCAP student from Ohio University each week. Email David at dh936611@ohio.edu.