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Career Explorer

Choosing a major is easier when you know what you would study, where it leads and what graduates earn. Start with the Major Matcher, then compare majors and check your personal statement.

Major Matcher

Twenty-four everyday scenarios, about ten minutes. We compare your answers with the profiles of 41 majors and show your three closest matches, with typical modules, careers and the school subjects that usually help.
Question 1 of 24
Your teacher lets the class pick their final project format. Which one are you going for?

Compare majors

Pick two or three majors to see what you would study, where each can lead and what graduates earn. Earnings are medians from official statistics in the UK, US, Canada and Ireland.
Show earnings for

Computer science and data

Computer science

What you study

Programming, algorithms, data structures, computer systems, databases and the maths behind computing.

Careers it can lead to

Software engineer, Data engineer, Systems analyst, Researcher

United Kingdom

Subject in the data: Computer science

1 year after graduating
£31,500a year
3 years after
£38,100a year
5 years after
£41,700a year
10 years after
£49,400a year
In sustained work or further study, 5 years after
86.5%

Median annualised earnings in the 2023-24 tax year. UK students who finished a first degree at a university in England. Part-time workers are included.

Source: Department for Education, LEO 2023-24

United States

Subject in the data: Computer and information sciences

Aged 25 to 29
US$83,210a year

Median earnings in 2022 of full-time, year-round workers aged 25 to 29, by their first bachelor’s major. From the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

Source: NCES Digest of Education Statistics, table 505.10

Canada

Figure is for all computer and information science subjects.

2 years after graduating
CA$81,500a year
5 years after
CA$97,800a year

Median employment income of people who graduated in 2019, in 2024 dollars. Canadian and international students. Bachelor’s degrees unless marked as a professional degree.

Source: Statistics Canada, table 37-10-0280-01

Ireland

Figure is for all information and communication technology subjects.

1 year after graduating
€770a week
3 years after
€935a week
5 years after
€1,160a week
10 years after
€1,470a week

Median weekly earnings in 2023 of young honours bachelor’s (level 8) graduates in substantial employment. Ireland only publishes broad subject groups.

Source: CSO, Higher Education Outcomes, table HEO12

Engineering

Mechanical engineering

What you study

Mechanics, thermodynamics, fluids, materials, design and manufacturing, with lab work and team projects.

Careers it can lead to

Mechanical engineer, Design engineer, Manufacturing engineer, Energy engineer

United Kingdom

Subject in the data: Mechanical engineering

1 year after graduating
£31,100a year
3 years after
£37,000a year
5 years after
£43,600a year
10 years after
£53,400a year
In sustained work or further study, 5 years after
89.5%

Median annualised earnings in the 2023-24 tax year. UK students who finished a first degree at a university in England. Part-time workers are included.

Source: Department for Education, LEO 2023-24

United States

Subject in the data: Mechanical engineering

Aged 25 to 29
US$81,890a year

Median earnings in 2022 of full-time, year-round workers aged 25 to 29, by their first bachelor’s major. From the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

Source: NCES Digest of Education Statistics, table 505.10

Canada

Figure is for all engineering subjects.

2 years after graduating
CA$78,400a year
5 years after
CA$94,500a year

Median employment income of people who graduated in 2019, in 2024 dollars. Canadian and international students. Bachelor’s degrees unless marked as a professional degree.

Source: Statistics Canada, table 37-10-0280-01

Ireland

Figure is for all engineering, manufacturing and construction subjects.

1 year after graduating
€695a week
3 years after
€885a week
5 years after
€1,050a week
10 years after
€1,300a week

Median weekly earnings in 2023 of young honours bachelor’s (level 8) graduates in substantial employment. Ireland only publishes broad subject groups.

Source: CSO, Higher Education Outcomes, table HEO12

Germany and Egypt: no official figure published

  • Germany. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) publishes earnings by level of education, not by subject studied.
  • Egypt. CAPMAS publishes the number of graduates by subject, not what they earn.

We show no figure rather than guess.

How to read these figures

These are medians: half of graduates earned more and half earned less. They are not promises. What you earn depends on your university, the country you work in, the job you take and your grades.

Each country measures earnings in its own way, so compare majors within one country rather than countries with each other. We have not converted currencies. The UK, Canada and Ireland figures come from tax records; the US figure comes from a national survey.

For context, the median for all subjects:

  • United Kingdom: £33,300 a year, 5 years after graduating
  • United States: US$62,540 a year, at ages 25 to 29
  • Canada: CA$73,300 a year, 5 years after graduating (bachelor’s degrees)
  • Ireland: €890 a week, 5 years after graduating

Not sure which majors to compare? The Major Matcher suggests three. A counsellor can talk you through the rest.

Book a free consultationTake the Major Matcher

Sources: Department for Education, Graduate labour market outcomes (LEO), tax year 2023-24; National Center for Education Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics 2023, table 505.10, from the US Census Bureau American Community Survey 2022; Statistics Canada, table 37-10-0280-01; Central Statistics Office Ireland, Higher Education Outcomes, graduation years 2013-2022. Checked October 2026.

Explore subject areas

What each area involves, who it tends to suit, and some common misconceptions about the majors inside it.

Subject areas

Business and management

Business degrees teach how organisations make decisions: accounting, economics, marketing, operations and managing people. Most programmes start broad and let you specialise in your last year or two. Economics is more mathematical and theoretical than business.

Suits students who are
Comfortable with numbers, Good at persuading people, Organised under pressure
Careers it often leads to
Financial analyst, Marketing manager, Management consultant, Operations manager

Common misconceptions

  • In reality: You need to be confident with numbers and statistics, but much of the work is judgement: reading markets, managing risk and explaining decisions.

Personal statement feedback

Paste your UCAS statement, Common App essay or motivation letter. You get feedback on structure, clarity, evidence and fit, plus notes on specific lines. The writing stays yours: we do not rewrite it.

Applying to the US? Our Common App essay feedback works with the seven prompts and with college supplements.

0 words, 0 characters of 4,000

Up to 4,000 characters, answering UCAS’s three questions.

Your statement must stay yours.

We point out what to change and why, but we do not rewrite it for you. Universities and UCAS check that statements are the applicant’s own work.

Your text is sent to an AI model to write the feedback. We do not save it.

Book a free consultation

Bring your matches or your draft to a counsellor. We can help you choose a major, plan your school subjects and review your statement.

We reply within 24 hours. We use your details only to arrange your consultation. See our privacy policy.

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