Why so many students are taking two degrees at once: How it happens and why it matters for careers

College students in the US are increasingly choosing to earn two degrees simultaneously, a trend that is spreading across public and private universities. Nearly one in three undergraduates now pursue a second major to strengthen their prospects in an unpredictable job market, according to the Hechinger Report.

At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the number of students double-majoring has grown by 25 percent over the past decade. Nearly six in ten computer science students who pick a second major choose data science, a field projected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to grow 34 percent over the next ten years, with salaries nearly twice the national average, the Hechinger Report notes.

Rising demand for diverse skills
Students are responding to economic uncertainty and rapid changes in employer expectations. Recent graduates face an unemployment rate higher than the overall workforce, reaching its highest level since 2014 outside of the pandemic years, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, as quoted by the Hechinger Report. Nearly half of recent graduates feel underqualified for entry-level positions, while only 30 percent work in their studied fields.

Rachel Slama, associate director of Cornell University’s Future of Learning Lab, told the Hechinger Report: “Students are feeling a sort of spiraling lack of control in a very dynamic labour market. They’re probably clinging to the one thing that’s in their control, which is the majors they choose. And they think that more is more.”

Research supports the economic value of double majors . A 2016 study by St. Lawrence University and Vanderbilt Law School found that students combining business with STEM majors earned more than those with a single major. Another study from Ohio State University and four other institutions showed that graduates with two majors were 56 percent less likely to experience layoffs, pay cuts, or other negative effects during economic downturns, as reported by the Hechinger Report.

Institutional support and academic strategy
Universities are encouraging students to pursue double majors to align with evolving workforce needs. Taylor Odle, assistant professor at UW-Madison, said in conversation with the Hechinger Report: “Institutions are thinking strategically about how to align their degree programs with industry, and it might be by pairing two things they already have.”

The structure of double majors often allows students to graduate without extra cost or extended time, unless additional classes are required. Overlapping course requirements and credits earned through dual-enrolment or Advanced Placement in high school provide further flexibility, according to Kelle Parsons, principal researcher at the American Institutes for Research, as quoted by the Hechinger Report.

Personal interests and career hedging
Students also pursue double majors for intellectual curiosity. At the University of Chicago, Melina Hale, dean of the college, told the Hechinger Report: “I see students committing to one career but wanting to have more breadth. They’re going and exploring all of these other majors and finding one they love.”

J. Wesley Null, vice provost at Baylor University, added in conversation with the Hechinger Report: “They’re trying to satisfy their parents, who want them to be employed, but they’re also interested in a lot of interdisciplinary kinds of things. These really bright students have a lot of diverse interests.”

Alongside double majors, students are increasingly earning certificates, or “stackable credentials,” which can be completed in months and enhance employability. In 2023-24, 17 percent of bachelor’s degree recipients earned at least one certificate, the Hechinger Report states.

By combining two majors or additional credentials, students aim to demonstrate diverse skills, improve career prospects , and adapt to a fast-changing labour market.