6 Employment Benefits of a Double Major

Whether you would like to improve your professional credentials or are simply having trouble narrowing down your degree options, you may be thinking about improving a double major. But you'd like to know: do double majors have any employable benefits? Is it a good idea to double major in college?

There are many good reasons to pursue a double major, and doing so can provide you with better career opportunities. Double majors can also provide increased knowledge and skills, making you a more desirable job candidate.

Keep reading for more information.

Do Employers Value Double Majors?

Yes, most employers value double majors because they set job candidates apart in several ways. Having a double major can indicate to an employer that you are hardworking and committed, helping you make a good first impression. Having two majors can also indicate a wider or more specialized skill set, which many employers value for specific roles and higher-paying positions.

Finally, a double major can increase your qualifications, demonstrating to employers that you are a better fit for the job than those with only one major. This is especially true if you choose complementary double majors, such as business administration and computer science or criminal justice and psychology.

How a Double Major Can Benefit Your Career

Let's take a look at six specific employable benefits of double majoring.

1. Increased Career Options

Those who earn a double major can pursue job opportunities in both of their fields of study. They also have the option to combine their different majors to pursue more specialized careers. Completing a dual major gives you a wider variety of career paths to explore than if you were to pursue a single major.

2. More Competitive in the Job Market

A bachelor's degree makes you more hirable than a high school diploma or GED; in turn, a double major may make you more hirable than a single major. Each credential you add makes you a more competitive job candidate, giving you a better chance of landing the jobs you apply for. This is especially true if you pursue complementary double majors that lead to specialized or more advanced careers.

3. Wider Skill Set

Pursuing a double major can help you develop a wider range of both hard and soft skills. Let's take a closer look.

Hard Skills

Hard skills are the essential technical, mechanical, mental, or physical skills you need to do specific jobs. For example, a nurse must have strong patient care skills; an architect must be skilled at design; an accountant needs excellent math and finance skills. Different degree programs teach different hard skills depending on their specialization. Completing two majors will help you develop hard skills in two different specializations, making you more employable in both areas of study.

Soft Skills

Soft skills are more generalized, foundational skills that can be applied across a variety of industries. Different majors may place a stronger emphasis on some soft skills, while others focus on different soft skills.

These types of skills are typically transferrable across industries, making them highly valuable in any field. Common soft skills include:

• critical thinking
• time management
• communication skills
• work ethic
• interpersonal skills

4. Higher Earning Potential

While salary cannot be guaranteed and is dependent on various factors, those with a double college major may have the potential to earn higher salaries than those with a single major. This may be due to having more job opportunities when you pursue a second major, as well as qualifying for more advanced positions.

5. More Specialized

Different majors may provide different general education, major coursework, and electives, allowing college students to pursue unique learning opportunities. Combining certain majors can help college graduates pursue more specialized career goals; for example, someone who double majors in political science and foreign language can pursue specialized positions in international government or relations.

6. Better Job Security

Double majoring allows students to pursue work in different fields while also making them more qualified for advanced or specialized positions. For this reason, they may enjoy increased job security than those with only one major, though this can depend on various factors.

Are There Any Downsides to a Double Major?

Though there are many great benefits to pursuing a second major, you may still be wondering if it's worth it. Are there any drawbacks to double majoring?

Getting a double major may require extra time, money, and effort. Working closely with an academic advisor can help you graduate with your two majors as efficiently as possible, but the amount of time it takes you to complete your degree may still be longer than average. You might even have to spend an extra year in school.

Different majors have different course requirements, so you may have to take extra classes to get your double major. Pursuing majors in related fields may allow for a lighter courseload, as there may be more course overlap that allows you to apply the courses you take to both majors.

In many cases, you can complete a double major in 120 credit hours, the same as a single major. But this will take excellent planning and time management skills, and you may have to take fewer electives and more core courses as you work toward fulfilling all major requirements.

Though it may not be easy and comes with its own set of drawbacks, getting a double major in college may still be a good choice for you depending on your:

• career goals
• interests
• plans for the future