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Which college degrees are the most and least valuable to Floridians?

 
Which degrees are most and least valuable. (istockphoto.com)
Which degrees are most and least valuable. (istockphoto.com)
Published Sept. 10, 2018

Do what you love.

The ubiquitous career advice hurled at young people sounds so simple. Make a career of your passions.

For some, it's pitch perfect. They know what they love, and they will get the training or college degree that allows them to get there. Nothing will stop them.

For the scores who aren't so sure, it rings hollow. How do you do what you love if you don't know what that is quite yet? And what if you're not that good at what you love?

If you're struggling to find your passion, Bankrate.com has a new list out that could help. The financial advice company has identified the most and least valuable college degrees. So even if you don't know what you want to become, the list can help you avoid some careers that don't pay that well or have high unemployment rates. It's best to avoid being underpaid, underemployed and passionless about your career.

Affordable living: Florida's most affordable counties to live.

Performing arts degrees, for instance, scored near the bottom. If you live and breathe the theater, go for it. If not, you might try a different degree. You can still join the local improv club to scratch that itch.

On the flip side, if you happen to like math, you might explore a degree in actuarial sciences, which ranked No. 1. Zoology came in second.

"While it's important to pursue your passion, students also need to look down the road and consider their long-term earning potential, the job market and the reality that certain professions require additional schooling," said Bankrate.com analyst Adrian Garcia. "In the end, it's up to the individual to find the right balance based on what is most important to them."

Bankrate.com ranked the 162 college degrees based on earning potential and unemployment rates. The rankings favored degrees that do not demand schooling beyond a bachelor's degree.

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Business, science and math degrees dominated the top of the list, including many in engineering fields. Public policy and agricultural economics also ranked high.

Near the bottom: mass media, music, social work and several education degrees.

Follow your passion. The world needs dedicated teachers, journalists and artists. But the same can be said for scientists, engineers and mathematicians.

Contact Graham Brink at gbrink@tampabay.com. Follow @GrahamBrink.