Least Regretted College Majors in 2026

We wrote about the most-regretted college majors and it’s consistently one of our highest-traffic articles. So here’s the inverse: the majors whose graduates overwhelmingly say they’d pick the same major again. These are majors where the payoff, the purpose, and the identity all align — a rare trifecta.

The top 10 least-regretted majors

1. Computer Science — 72% would pick again

Median pay $112K. Highest lifetime earnings of any non-medical major. Low regret despite rising AI disruption fears because CS grads pivot easily into AI/ML roles.

2. Engineering (Mechanical / Electrical / Civil) — 70% would pick again

Median pay $99-112K depending on discipline. Strong identity, clear career paths, licensed-profession boost via PE exam.

3. Nursing (BSN) — 72% would pick again

Median pay $86K. Highest job-meaning ratings of any major. Lowest unemployment. Fastest payback. Highest “purpose” scores.

4. Construction Management — 70% would pick again

Median pay $104K. Underrated path. BBA-level breadth but trades-level practicality.

5. Accounting — 68% would pick again

Median pay $82K, $140K+ with CPA in-house or public. Structural shortage of CPAs through 2030+.

6. Finance — 66% would pick again

Median pay $82K; $170K+ at 10 years for those who stayed in investment banking, PE, or corporate dev.

7. Economics — 65% would pick again

Median pay $88K. Gateway to finance, consulting, PM, and policy. Flexible regret-resistant credential.

8. Chemical / Biomedical Engineering — 68% would pick again

Median pay $113K (chem), $100K (biomed). Niche but highly rewarded.

9. Information Systems / Cybersecurity — 68% would pick again

Median pay $100K (MIS), $124K (cybersecurity analysts). Cybersecurity has 32% projected growth — highest in tech.

10. Actuarial Science / Mathematics — 67% would pick again

Median pay for actuaries $115K. Low unemployment, high job security, well-defined credentialing path.

Why these 10 land at the top

Three patterns emerge from every “low regret” major:

1. Clear identity. You know what to call yourself (“I’m an engineer,” “I’m a nurse”). Identity reduces regret.
2. Structural wage premium. BLS median above $80K. The money quiets the second-guessing.
3. Employability within 6 months of graduation. Fast placement = high ROI sense = low regret.

Missing any one of those three = regret risk.

Honorable mentions (60-64% would pick again)

• Physical Therapy (DPT)
• Physician Assistant
• Pharmacy (PharmD)
• Supply Chain Management
• Industrial Engineering
• Data Science
• Aerospace Engineering

The interesting outliers

History (58% would pick again) surprises many. Despite weak median pay, history grads report high life satisfaction and often transition into law, policy, or research. The regret rate is lower than communications or psychology.

Philosophy (56%) ranks higher than journalism or sociology despite worse wages — graduates find purpose in law school, academia, and writing careers.

Biology (42%) under-performs because the payoff only arrives after medical or grad school. The bachelor’s alone isn’t enough.

How to pick a low-regret major yourself

1. Pick a field with a BLS median above $75K or strong personal meaning. Both is gold.
2. Pick a field with a licensed credential path (engineering PE, nursing RN, CPA, actuarial, PT/OT, etc.) — the credential locks in the wage premium.
3. Avoid vague “interdisciplinary” degrees unless you have a specific post-graduation plan.
4. Prefer majors where your first job is concrete (“audit associate” beats “something in communications”).

Related reading

• Most Regretted College Majors
• AI-Proof College Majors
• Is College Worth It?
• Highest-Paying Careers Without a Degree

FAQ

What major has the lowest regret rate?

Computer science and nursing tie at ~72% saying they’d pick again. Engineering is close behind.

What’s the most regretted major?

Journalism, sociology, and general education majors report the highest regret in ZipRecruiter’s 2024 data — 44-60% regret.

Does major regret correlate with salary?

Strongly. Every major over $85K median has sub-40% regret. But meaning matters too — nursing has lower regret than finance despite lower pay.