To Double Major … or Not to Double Major?

My short answer: NOT!

This week, the Wall Street Journal published a piece by Lisa Ward called, “Why It Pays to Be a Double Major in College: A study finds that people who have two majors have more stable earnings.” I could read only the first paragraph or so because it’s behind a paywall – so I won’t comment directly on the argument made by the author – but I could access the link to the study referenced in the subtitle. It’s presented as a working paper, so not yet published in a peer-reviewed journal. This is not to say that the research isn’t meaningful, just that it hasn’t been properly evaluated. The primary and preliminary finding is that students who double major seem to be more protected from the often-unpredictable and risky labor market than their single major counterparts because they have more than one set of skills – “human capital diversification” – that that they can leverage in the workplace. Thus, the more stable earnings.

Let me take a quick step back to elaborate a bit on my rather blunt statement above: generally, I don’t think double majoring – or even minoring – is necessary, and I think the negative effects are likely to outweigh the positives. But students are individuals, and they need and want different things. And I respond differently depending on whether I’m wearing my coaching or mentoring hat.

As a coach, if a student asks me if they should double major, I don’t offer an opinion. Instead, I ask them why they’re considering it and let them work through their reasoning, the pros and cons, as they come to a decision about what they want and what they think they need. I give them the space to make the choice for themselves. If a double major works for them, awesome! If not, they can make a change. I’m happy to support them either way.

As a mentor, if I’m asked the same question, I’m likely to offer that double majoring is likely to take time away from other pursuits, can increase stress, and the benefits of two majors – in general – are not clear.

If the student wants to pursue additional interests or learn something new, go for it! But there are many ways to pursue interests besides doing more class work. As I wrote previously, there’s SO much more to college than sitting in a classroom. I just can’t recommend more time behind a desk.

If, however, in the pursuit of those interests, a student decides for themself to take additional courses – maybe they love classwork or there really is no other way to get the information or skills they seek, or they know that having the course work will facilitate a job after graduation – and as a result they have enough credits for another major (or a minor), then fabulous for them.

If they’ve pursued those interests in other ways, they’ve still learned and have developed additional skills & knowledge. And there are ways to communicate that knowledge and skill set on a resume, in a cover letter, and in a job interview if they are relevant.

Now, enter research on the purpose of double majoring in the context of risk in the labor market and earning potential. Of course, the primary reason students attend college is to increase the likelihood of entering the labor force in ways of their choosing and to get jobs that yield greater income and stability. Studies that focus on labor and stability are relevant and important.

To view college as largely transactional in this way, though, misses the many extracurricular opportunities of college and gives short shrift to the very important mental and physical health concerns associated with the college experience. In my view, a more holistic appreciation for the purpose of college is appropriate when we support young adults develop confidence and agency in their own lives.

But even if we take the more transactional perspective, there is no causal relationship measured between double majors and earning, as the study’s authors note. Also, there is no evidence that double majoring per seis related to reduced risk in the labor market. It may be that that students likely to double major already have the skills to reduce that risk. The authors make this point as well. And, lastly, there are numerous factors — many (most) unmeasured in this work, as acknowledged by the authors — that may reduce the risk of an uncertain job market. The diversity in knowledge and skills is likely just part of a much larger and more complex picture.

In the end, I will always support — and encourage if asked — a student’s pursuit of various interests, activities, and learning opportunities. If this means rejecting a double major or even a minor so that they have the time and intellectual and psychological bandwidth to take advantage of the whole college experience, then more power to them. My hypothesis is that these experiences will also provide “human capital diversification” that will benefit them in all aspects of their lives.