Choice of Planned Major

At the time of ACT registration, students can select a specific planned major from a list of 294 alternatives. These alternatives can be grouped into 18 planned major areas.

 

Chart Table
Percent of ACT-Tested High School Graduates with Different Planned Major Statuses by ACT Composite Score, 2013
Percent of ACT-Tested High School Graduates with Different Planned Major Statuses by ACT Composite Score, 2013
Planned Major Female Male
Health Sciences and Technologies 32% 14%
Social Sciences and Law 11% 8%
Arts: Visual and Performing 9% 8%
Education 9% 4%
Business 9% 15%
Sciences: Biological and Physical 9% 7%
Health Administration and Assisting 6% 2%
Community, Family, and Personal Services 4% 3%
Communications 3% 2%
Engineering 3% 17%
English and Foreign Languages 2% 0.8%
Ag. and Natural Resources Conservation 2% 3%
Computer Science and Mathematics 0.9% 6%
Architecture 0.9% 2%
Philosophy, Religion, and Theology 0.4% 0.8%
Engineering Technology and Drafting 0.3% 4%
Area, Ethnic, and Multidisciplinary Studies 0.2% 0.1%
Repair, Production, and Construction 0.1% 3%
 

Graph reads: 9% of female students from the ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2013 selected a planned major in the area of Biological and Physical Sciences.

Note: Based on 79% of the ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2013 who reported gender and selected a planned major when they registered for the ACT.

  • The 4 areas of Health Sciences and Technologies; Business; Social Sciences and Law; and Engineering comprise more than half (54%) of all students who selected a planned major.
  • The area of Health Sciences and Technologies is very popular among females, with roughly 1 out of 3 selecting a planned major in this area.
  • Just less than half (46%) of all males selected planned majors in the areas of Engineering; Business; and Health Sciences and Technologies.
Chart Table
Percent of ACT-Tested High School Graduates Who Selected a Planned Major Within a Subset of Planned Major Areas by ACT Composite Score, 2013
Percent of ACT-Tested High School Graduates Who Selected a Planned Major Within a Subset of Planned Major Areas by ACT Composite Score, 2013
ACT Composite Score Range Arts: Visual and Performing Engineering Health Sciences and Technologies
1–15 11% 6% 21%
16–19 9% 6% 25%
20–23 8% 8% 26%
24–27 7% 12% 24%
28–32 6% 18% 20%
33–36 3% 27% 15%
 

Graph reads: 27% of the ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2013 with an ACT Composite score in the range of 33–36 selected a planned major in the area of Engineering.

Note: Based on 79% of the ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2013 who selected a planned major when they registered for the ACT.

  • The likelihood of selecting a planned major within a particular planned major area differs by the students’ academic achievement.
  • For example, as ACT Composite score increases, the percentage of students who selected a major in the area of Engineering also increases.
  • The percentage of students who selected a major in the area of Visual and Performing Arts decreases as ACT Composite score increases.
  • Relative to the share of students at either the lower or upper ranges of the score scale, a larger share of students with scores in the middle of the ACT Composite score scale selected a planned major in the area of Health Sciences and Technologies.