10 Most Popular Majors in Florida

1. Business

The most popular major across the country, business covers many subdisciplines, including accounting, finance, and management. Florida awarded more than 24,000 business bachelor's degrees in 2020-2021, according to NCES, over 21% of all degrees conferred in the state.

Business is Florida's most popular major because of the flexibility of the degree and the promise of access to high-paying careers. The discipline feeds into one of the largest business workforces in the country and two of Florida's largest industries: headquarters and financial and professional services.

2. Health Sciences

Health sciences degrees provide students with a foundational understanding of the human body. The major acts as a stepping stone for many healthcare professions, of which Florida employs the third-largest workforce in the country.

In 2020-2021, more than 16,000 Florida graduates took home health-related bachelor's degrees, over 15% of all degrees awarded. With Florida growing faster than any other state, the increasing demand for healthcare professionals should keep health sciences classes full for the foreseeable future.

3. Psychology

The study of the human mind and behaviors, psychology can lead to careers and advanced degrees in any field that analyzes people. The fundamental skills students acquire in critical thinking, research, and social and behavioral psychology can help them in many professional fields.

Not only is psychology the sixth-most awarded bachelor's degree in the state, but Florida awards psychology degrees at higher rates than the national average. Psychology graduates can enter the healthcare, business, or counseling sectors.

4. Engineering

Engineering uses mathematics and scientific principles to design and develop innovations for solving real-world problems. Engineers use creativity and ingenuity to improve our way of life and keep people safe.

In Florida, more than 32% of adults over 25 have a science and engineering degree, as per the U.S. Census Bureau. Part of what makes engineering so popular is the massive scope of the discipline. Engineers can specialize in areas like computing, healthcare, energy, and environmental science.

5. Biological Sciences

Biological sciences majors explore living things and processes. In this major, you may study specific animals, ecosystems, diseases, or animal behaviors. You can specialize in areas like genetics, microbiology, or ecology, or you can take a broad approach to keep your postgraduate options open.

Your biological sciences degree could lead to careers in biological research, agricultural science, or healthcare. In Florida, the booming life sciences sector promises graduates ample opportunities, which should keep up enrollment up in this major.

6. Nursing

Nursing majors teach you how to provide care in various healthcare settings. You learn the fundamentals of health promotion and illness prevention, along with foundational terminology, anatomy, and pharmacology.

Nurses are some of the most in-demand workers across the nation. Florida alone could face a shortage of nearly 60,000 nurses by 2035. Along with the promising career outlook, nursing offers advancement opportunities and the potential to help people and communities.

7. Education

Education majors develop the necessary skills to become educators in various settings. The programs explore the science of learning and development, pedagogy, curriculum development, and classroom management.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 13% of adults over 25 have an education bachelor's degree. These degrees typically lead to teaching, administration, or training and development careers. In the public school system alone, Florida has over 4,200 public schools, more than 3.5 million students, and nearly 200,000 teachers.

8. Computer Science

As a computer science major, you study computer hardware and software, programming, and various computer applications. Computer science lays the groundwork for many technology subfields and specializations, including networking, software development, and cybersecurity.

The broad functionality and versatility of computer science make it one of Florida's most popular majors. With the third-largest tech industry in the country, Florida provides plenty of career opportunities for graduates.

9. Oceanography

Oceanography is the study of oceans and ocean environments. In this major, you learn about the different ocean ecosystems, how they function, and how humans affect them.

In a coastal state like Florida, you have near-immediate access to the ocean no matter where you are. As a result, many of the state's schools run oceanography programs.

While the overall number of oceanography graduates may look small in comparison to the major fields, Florida boasts a considerable portion of the country's oceanography majors. In fact, the more than 5,400 oceanography graduates in Florida make up about 20% of the entire field, as per the U.S. Census Bureau.

10. Humanities

The humanities major covers a wide area that includes the arts and languages. In this field, you study the human experience through literature, culture, and history.

In Florida, one of the country's most diverse states, the humanities major supports the expression, preservation, and exchange of many cultures and traditions. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 20% of adults over 25 in Florida have an arts and humanities bachelor's degree.