The Surprising Truths About College Majors and Entry-Level Jobs — Research Talk by Dr. Corey Moss-Pech

Dr. Corey Moss-Pech, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Florida State University whose research sits at the intersection of higher education and the labor market, will come to Macon campus to discuss his recent research book “Major Trade-Offs: The Surprising Truths about College Majors and Entry-level Jobs,” published in 2025 by the Chicago University Press.

In this book, Dr. Moss-Pech argues that not only do humanities majors learn real-world skills, but they actually use them when they graduate. But graduates with so-called practical degrees like business and engineering are much more likely to find employment and earn higher salaries, although they may not use their degree-related skills as much.

How do we understand and alleviate the general misconceptions about the liberal arts education despite the valuable skills that students acquire during their studies? Dr. Moss-Pech’s research addresses this question by following students from different majors as they enter the workforce and conducting nearly 200 interviews with roughly 90 students from different humanities as well as more practical majors (e.g., communication, English, Business, Engineering).

Of interest to students, educators, and employers, Major Trade-Offs calls on colleges and universities to advocate for liberal arts majors, leveling the playing field for students as they plan for entry-level work.