Are you about to go to Uni? This is a decisive period in your life. Picking random majors is not something you do when you’re conscious about the way these decisions affect your entire future. I remember the confusion. “Do I study literature? I love literature, but what on Earth will I do with that degree?”
When you have too many questions on your mind and you’re not sure about the way you want to build your future, you could use some advice. This time, we’re looking for advice by exploring the trends in Australian universities. Why is that important? When you’re aware of the trends, you know what degrees bring more money after graduation. College major trends are usually set by the requirements on the market. If you find your interest anywhere in these categories, you’ll have a win-win situation: you’ll study something you like and you’ll set the foundation to a bright future at the same time. Cool, huh?
1. Health Sciences
Australia has one of the most advanced healthcare systems in the world. This is a whole industry that’s constantly open for positions. The average annual pay for a physician/doctor, anesthetist is AU$194,146. The median pay for registered nurses is AU$57,754. As these people make progress throughout the years, they establish authority and get higher salaries.
Of course, the money is not the only trigger you need for choosing this major. Do you have what it takes to be a doctor or any other kind of professional in the healthcare system? Are you passionate about medicine? If your answer is yes, then make a commitment to study and work a lot; not only throughout university, but during your whole life as well.
2. Psychology
I wonder: can a psychologist ever get bored doing their job? I don’t think so. When you love this job, a whole world awaits for you to explore. The human mind never fails to impress, amaze, confuse, and overwhelm. The studies themselves are quite interesting, and most Aussie universities offer high-quality programs for students who want to devote their lives to psychology.
You’re interested in the money? Who wouldn’t be? The salary will depend on the position and organization you work for. The median salary of a psychologist in Australia is AU$68,524. A psychotherapist, on the other hand, earns an average pay of AU$122,633 per year.
3. Design
Do you know how many things are being designed every single day? It seems like graphic design is never going out of fashion. The good news is that it’s easy to get your first job right after graduation. Freelancing opportunities are all over the place. If you have the needed skill and talent, the progress in this career will be inevitable.
The median salary of a graphic designer in Australia is AU$49.909, but keep in mind that this is an entry position. Design Managers make an average of AU$100,123 per year.
4. Business and Management
Business is a wide-ranging category, but most subjects lead to successful future for bright students. Business and management courses will prepare you to become a strategic leader, in the best-case scenario. Even if you don’t become a leader of a multinational corporation, you’ll at least know how to face the reality of business and you’ll have proper foundation for starting your own company after graduation.
Human Resource Management is a very interesting category inside this niche. The University of Canberra offers a popular Master of Human Resource Management program. With this type of education, you’ll be prepared to recruit and select employees in organizations, and you’ll be responsible for their training, development, and performance. The median salary of an Operations Manager in Australia is AU$82,391.
5. Architecture
Sydney never fails to amaze me. Whenever I look around, I am overwhelmed by the great architecture and I admire all people who took part in the process of design and building. Australia is an ever-evolving country. Building is a constant trend, so you can rest assured you won’t be left jobless as an architect.
With a Bachelor of Architecture degree, you can become a design architect, project architect, senior project architect, landscape architect, or project manager in construction. Design managers are getting the highest salaries of AU$100,123 on an annual basis.
6. Law
In many countries around the world, there’s hyper production of law practitioners. In third-world countries, especially, brilliant students are getting degrees in law, but can’t get jobs. The number of corporations that hire lawyers is not impressive, and the law system is highly politicized. We’re lucky that in Australia, that’s not the case. Lawyers are always appreciated and the job market is ready to absorb new graduates.
An attorney in Australia makes an average of AU$69,630 per year. Corporate lawyers have higher salaries; the average being AU$76,256 at the moment.
What Do I Choose? What Do I Become?
It’s not an easy pick to make. University is expensive. You can’t afford to spend all those money and end up regretting the choice. You need to make a completely conscious decision, considering all factors. You’re young and enthusiastic, so it’s easy for you to think that money doesn’t matter as long as you’re doing what you love. That’s a cool philosophy, but you’ll need to live after graduation, and living costs money.
As you noticed from the list above, there’s nothing impressive about the university trends in Australia. These are not new degree programs. You don’t have to opt for something highly unusual if you want to get a degree that’s appreciated in this country. Define the areas of study you like and find a degree that offers you a bright future. That’s the recipe for success.
