The Impact of AI on College Major Choices
A recent survey by Gallup has revealed that 16% of students have changed their majors due to the influence of AI on the job market. This shift highlights a growing concern among students about how AI is reshaping career opportunities and the skills required for future employment.
The survey, which included around 3,800 students, found that nearly half of them have given at least a fair amount of thought to switching their field of study because of AI’s impact. This trend reflects a broader uncertainty in the educational choices made by students as they navigate an evolving job landscape.
Students Are Reevaluating Their Career Paths
Dr. Courtney Brown, vice president of impact and planning at Lumina Foundation, emphasized that this is one of the clearest signals that students are rethinking their futures in response to AI. He noted that students enrolled in technology and vocational programs are the most likely to consider switching majors, with approximately 70% in each group saying they’ve given it at least a fair amount of thought. In contrast, those studying healthcare and the natural sciences are the least likely to say AI has prompted them to reconsider their major.
Within technical fields, students are moving away from majors that are more easily automated by AI. A Niche report found that students are shifting their interests toward AI development, such as software engineering and AI-focused specialties, rather than traditional programming. This change is evident in the data showing a decline in interest in traditional programming while interest in AI and software engineering has increased.
Shifting Trends in Technical Majors
For instance, programming made up 10% of computer science interest in 2026, down from a 14% peak in 2020. AI, on the other hand, has attracted greater interest, growing from 1.7% of computer science students in 2023 to 4.7% in 2026. Interest in software engineering also increased, rising 1.2 points from 2025 to 2026 and accounting for 22% of computer science interest.
Interestingly, the Gallup survey found that students in humanities, healthcare, and natural sciences were among the least likely to switch majors because of AI. It also found that students in social sciences, natural sciences, and humanities were the least likely majors to use AI. Dr. Brown suggested that students may not see AI as a threat to these fields.
Adapting to a Changing Job Market
The findings come at a time when English majors have seen a rebound in recent years, and some universities are rethinking liberal arts curricula to include the intersection of AI and the humanities. As core skills in the discipline gain relevance, this adaptation reflects a broader trend in higher education.
Choosing a college major is a significant decision, and it may seem even more high-stakes as industries evolve quickly and AI reshapes the job market. However, a degree isn’t everything. A March HireVue report about global hiring for the class of 2026, released in March, found that while 79% of entry-level roles still require a bachelor’s degree, nearly 70% of employers say they are adopting skills-based hiring. In the US, more than a quarter of organizations have discussed loosening degree requirements to expand skills-based talent pipelines.
Positive Indicators of Student Adaptation
Allison Shrivastava, an economist at Niche and the author of the Niche report, noted that the fact that more students interested in computer software development are considering AI creation fields is a positive indicator of how students are adapting. She described this as “efficient sorting,” suggesting that it’s a good response in terms of what we will need from the workforce in the future.
