The 5 Worst Majors For A High-Paying Job Right Out Of School

Earlier this week, we published the "Best Majors For A High-Paying Job" - a list highlighting majors with low unemployment and high starting salaries.

By combining unemployment and starting salary statistics, we found the best and worst industries for students who want to get hired quickly and make a lot of money right off the bat. Ranking was determined by finding the combined percentage deviation off of both data sets' most desirable point - low unemployment and high salary.

Here are the 5 worst fields for college students looking for a high-paying job after graduation:

#5 - Law and Public Policy

flickr/Jerry Bunkers

With high unemployment that can't be saved by its salary, law and public policy is the first entry in the low end of potential majors.

Unemployment: 9.2%
Starting Salary: $33,000

Majors Include: Pre-Law and Legal Studies, Public Administration, Criminal Justice

#4 - Humanities and Liberal Arts

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The humanities have long been derided as a job searcher's worst nightmare, and with these numbers it's not hard to understand why.

Unemployment: 9.0%
Starting Salary: $30,000

Majors Include: English, History, Philosophy

#3 - Social Science

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The unemployment rate for social scientists is among the highest, but unfortunately their salary won't be.

Unemployment: 10.3%
Starting Salary: $36,000

Majors Include: Sociology, Economics, International Relations

#2 - Arts

Flickr/Huntington Theatre Company

With an unemployment rate almost in the double digits, recent college graduates' true education may be the opportunity to "suffer for your art."

Unemployment: 9.8%
Starting Salary: $30,000

Majors Include: Drama and Theater, Music, Fine Arts

#1 - Architecture

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Architecture, the worst major for recent grads, actually has a good starting salary, but its disastrous unemployment rate makes it an exceptionally hard field to enter.

Unemployment: 12.8%
Starting Salary: $36,000

Majors Include: Architecture