There are plenty of science majors available to students who want a background in science. A background in science is perfect for students who want to become doctors, nurses, dentists, or other science related professions. What is the easiest science major?
Our team analyzed numerous science majors while searching for the easiest science major. Our team gathered data from some of the top institutions in the country to find which science major is the easiest. Read below to find out the easiest science majors.
Easiest Science Major
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Easiest Science Majors
Linguistics Major
Number one on our list of easiest science majors is linguistics. Linguistics is the scientific study of language. Students who major in linguistics will try to understand how children learn languages, the structure of languages, the variation of languages, and how language influences our interactions with others.
Students who major in linguistics might take classes in phonetics, syntax, and semantics. Students will learn about many different aspects of human language including sounds, sentences, words, and meaning. Some linguistics programs focus on a specific aspect of linguistics – like a particular language or group of people.
| Interpreters and Translators | |
| Average GPA | 3.33 |
| Average Salary | $51,830 |
| Job Outlook (2019-2029) | 20% |
Anthropology Major
Anthropology is the study of human societies and their development. Students who major in anthropology will examine how things like linguistics, culture, and biology shape humans. Students can expect to take courses in intro anthropology, linguistics, biology anthropology, and behavioral biology.
Students who decide to major in anthropology should be curious, enjoy gathering information, and enjoy study different cultures. Students will find job opportunities after graduating in both the public and private sectors.
| Anthropologists | |
| Average GPA | 3.23 |
| Average Salary | $63,670 |
| Job Outlook (2019-2029) | 5% |
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Neuroscience Major
Neuroscience is surprisingly high on our list of easiest science majors. Neuroscience involves the study of the brain and how it functions and affects behavior. Neuroscience majors will learn all about the body and different ways the brain affects our behavior. Quantitative and analytical skills are important for neuroscience majors to have, as well as communication skills.
Some students will go on to medical school to become neurosurgeons or neurologists. Other students may decide medical school is not for them and can utilize their degree in neuroscience to work with various health facilities to help patients or conduct research.
| Medical Scientist | |
| Average GPA | 3.25 |
| Average Salary | $88,790 |
| Job Outlook (2019-2029) | 6% |
Biology Major
Biology is the study of living organisms. Students will learn about the function, role, and characteristics of living organisms. Students will gain a solid foundation of science as a biology major. Students who major in biology may go on to medical or dental school or may get a job after completing their undergraduate degree in biology.
Students who decide to major in biology will take courses in biology, chemistry, anatomy, and physiology. Students will also be required to complete a class or two in calculus or physics. Students will also be working in labs to gain hands on experience and may be required to earn an internship in order to graduate.
| Microbiologist | |
| Average GPA | 3.23 |
| Average Salary | $75,650 |
| Job Outlook (2019-2029) | 3% |
Physiology Major
Physiology is a branch of biology that tries to understand the mechanisms of living things. Students majoring in physiology will try to understand how the body works and how it responds to various factors. Physiology is an extremely useful field that helps us determine everything from what goes wrong when we get sick to developing new treatments.
Students majoring in physiology will have many different career opportunities after they graduate. Some students will go on to medical school, some students will go into physical therapy, and other students may go into fields like pharmaceuticals.
| Physical Therapist | |
| Average GPA | 3.18 |
| Average Salary | $89,440 |
| Job Outlook (2019-2029) | 18% |
Political Science Major
Students majoring in political science will study government and the nature of power. Political science is a social science where students will study various topics loke political theory, international relations, and debate tactics. Students entering political science should enjoy keeping up with current events and be passionate about different social and economic issues.
Schools may have different names for their political science major like government or legal studies. Students will most likely be able to specialize their studies within the political science major. Students usually specialize in political theory, research, or American politics.
| Political Scientist | |
| Average GPA | 3.16 |
| Average Salary | $122,220 |
| Job Outlook (2019-2029) | 6% |
Physics Major
Physics majors study complex topics and questions about the universe. Students will study matter and energy in an attempt to explain how the world works. Students will spend time working on experiments in a lab setting to gain real-world experience. Some common courses include introductory courses on the law of motion, calculus courses, and differential equations courses.
Students should have a strong background in mathematics if they want to become a physics major. Some schools have an applied physics major that lets students focus on a specific portion of physics – applied physics usually allows students to focus on skills they can apply to a specific job or career.
| Mathematician | |
| Average GPA | 3.06 |
| Average Salary | $92,030 |
| Job Outlook (2019-2029) | 33% |
Astronomy Major
Astronomy majors will study planets, galaxies, and different phenomena that occur in outer space. Astronomy falls one spot behind physics on our list of easiest science majors. Astronomy is closely related to physics as there are a lot of crossovers. Students should have a strong background in math if they plan on majoring in astronomy.
Students majoring in astronomy should expect to take courses in physics, mathematics, and other science courses. Some specific astronomy courses that may take include solar system, astrophysics, stellar astronomy, and planetary astronomy.
| Astronomers | |
| Average GPA | 2.94 |
| Average Salary | $122,220 |
| Job Outlook (2019-2029) | 7% |
Chemistry Major
Chemistry majors will focus on the composition and behavior of matter. Students will examine both the micro and macro structure of matter, along with the chemical change that takes place under different circumstances. Students thinking about majoring in chemistry should enjoy working with things hands-on and enjoying conducting experiments.
Some common courses chemistry majors take include physics, biochemistry, calculus, and organic chemistry. Students may be able to specialize within the field of chemistry if their school offers specialty programs. Some specializations include biochemistry, geochemistry, forensic chemistry, and organic chemistry.
| Chemist | |
| Average GPA | 3.02 |
| Average Salary | $78,790 |
| Job Outlook (2019-2029) | 5% |
Ecology Major
Ecology is a branch of biology that focuses on agriculture principles. Students will learn about practices that improve environmental quality and make good use of nonrenewable resources. The courses students will take will vary depending on their school and program. Students should expect to take courses in anatomy, ecology, genetics, and microbiology.
Ecology is a great major for students who want to remain in science and are passionate about the environment. Students can do many different things with an ecology major – examples include an environmental consultant, research scientist, and natural resource manager.
Easiest Science Major FAQS
We took a look at some of the most popular science majors and wanted to find out which of them was the easiest. According to our findings, using data from some of the top institutions in the country, we found that linguistics was the easiest science major.
College is not easy. Any major you take in college will be somewhat difficult. Science majors tend to be some of the more difficult majors out there. Students should major in something they are passionate about to make their college major a little easier.
Most science majors are in heavy demand. As technology increases, there are more and more jobs available to students with science and technology degrees. Biology majors are always in demand due to their broad-based knowledge in science.
Findings
In order to find and rank the easiest science majors, we used a couple of different factors. We used retention rates for college students based on majors – these retention rates indicated to us what percentage of students remained in their declared major or decided to change their major. We determined this would be a good indication of how easy or hard a major was.
After determining retention rates, we paired those specific majors with the average GPA’s for each major. GPA is a great indicator of how easy or hard a major is. We then assigned a weight to each factor and scored the majors using both criteria. We realize that GPA’s can vary from school to school so some GPA’s may be higher or lower depending on the school you are looking at. We determined this was the best way to use data to find the easiest science majors.
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