8 Easy Degrees That Pay Well

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on December 22, 2022

If you struggle a bit in school, you might be wondering about “easy bachelor’s degrees” what they pay after graduation. Thankfully, there are easy degrees that pay well including English, accounting, and criminal justice, among others.

It’s important to keep in mind that what is easy to one student may not be easy to the next. However, the eight undergraduate programs we listed below are generally thought to be the “easiest.” When choosing one, you need to be thinking about your strengths as well as your interests or the coursework will not be easy!

1. Business Administration

Business administration is one major that is usually considered “easy.” Some programs will also only take 3 years to finish! These are easy degrees that pay well, and they offer a ton of flexibility with whatever career direction you choose.

Students in this area of study will learn about:

  • Highest paid jobs - Business and Financial Operations

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    Human resources

  • Planning and starting a business
  • The processes of a company
  • Accounting
  • Marketing
  • Management
  • Logistics
  • Decision-making for businesses
  • and more

There are a wealth of careers available to business administration majors, too, and you may even decide to become an entrepreneur! It’s a degree that has a lot of potential.

Some careers that pay well include:

2. English

English is another major that is considered simple, but don’t let the naysayers get to you! It is anything but a worthless degree! This program can open the door to plenty of opportunities from marketing to writing. Students studying English can often choose between a number of different concentrations including creative writing, literature, and journalism. If you love reading and writing, too, this can be a doubly good option!

In these classes, you can expect to learn about:

  • Communication skills
  • Literature
  • Writing
  • Expository writing
  • Writing composition

A few careers you might want to consider with an English degree are:

3. Human Resources

If you have an interest in business, a knack for laws, and a desire to work for others, human resources may be for you. This major prepares you for working in the human resources department or similar to help the business and their employees work through payroll, personnel problems, laws, sexual harassment, and more.

If you’re thinking about a degree in human resources, you’ll be learning about:

  • Management of employees
  • Organization policy
  • Labor relations
  • Sexual harassment
  • Civil rights
  • Work systems
  • Career management
  • Hiring and recruitment
  • Employing testing
  • Job training
  • Payroll, pay scales, benefits, and compensation
  • and more

Most who major in human resources will generally go on to work in the field of the same name. Some of the highest paying jobs include:

4. Criminal Justice

Criminal justice programs often have different areas of concentration available to students, and it can greatly impact what you learn about in the classroom. Those who graduate with this degree can go on to become cops, investigators, bailiffs, and correction officers. Some may also use it as a stepping stone to go to law school!

In these classes, you may learn about:

  • Practices of criminal justice, law enforcement, and organization management
  • Law enforcement history
  • Leadership
  • Labor relations
  • Incident responses
  • Law
  • Budgeting
  • Public relations
  • Political science

If you want to become a police chief or detective, you’ll likely have to start at the bottom of the totem pole, but there is definitely a lot of potential for this degree. Some criminal justice majors will go on to become a:

5. Marketing

Another business-related major that is considered easier than the rest is marketing! If you have an interest in advertising, social media, graphic design, or something similar, this could be a great area of study for you. There are a wealth of different avenues you can take with this major depending on your career goals.

Marketing majors usually study:

  • Buyer behavior
  • Marketing research
  • Strategic planning
  • Advertising
  • Sales operations
  • Customer relations
  • Retailing
  • Market segments
  • and similar subjects

Not only do you have a number of options available as careers, you can work in just about any industry! Almost every business, organization, and nonprofit out there needs someone on their marketing team. Here are just a few of the top paying careers in the industry:

6. Supply Chain Management

This is probably one you didn’t expect on the “easiest degrees” list! You’ll definitely need to be interested in the subject to find this one easy, but it regularly is considered to be one of the simplest yet best paying bachelor’s degrees out there.

Classes in supply chain management will cover:

  • Logistics
  • Handling and receiving materials
  • Purchasing
  • Inventory control
  • Manufacturing
  • Shipping management
  • Transportation
  • Quality control
  • Budgeting

Most studying this subject will, of course, plan to work in supply chain management. Some top paying careers in this field are:

7. Psychology

While you will need a bit of extra education and work to become a therapist, undergraduate psychology is regularly thought of as an easy major. There are several specializations based on your interest, so you’re sure to find something you’re passionate about. It’s also a great major for those who want to better understand people, help others, and work in social settings.

Psychology students will learn about:

  • Human behavior, both individual and collective
  • Behavioral problems
  • Mental disorders
  • Research
  • Assessment
  • Testing methods

Many might think you can’t do a lot (or earn much) with just a bachelor’s degree in psychology, but they’d be wrong. You could become a:

8. Communication

Another “easy” degree we just have to mention is communication! This is a great field if you’re interested in current events, the media, politics, cultures around the globe, and new experiences. The field can be a little competitive, but there are a number of career fields available to graduates.

Communications classes will cover:

  • Media
  • Media technology
  • Theories of communication
  • Critical thinking
  • Printed media
  • Digital media
  • Mass media
  • Journalism and inquiry
  • Argumentation
  • Persuasion
  • and more

While you likely think “journalism” when it comes to communication, there are a few other jobs available to those who earn a bachelor’s in this field. A few of the higher paying ones:

When choosing a major, you should always go with what is interesting to you, what you’re passionate about, and what you can see yourself making a career out of. If you simply go for the “easiest” majors with the highest return, you might not find the subject matter easy at all! If you’re not interested in the subject, it can be difficult to find the motivation to complete work, study, or even attend class. But these “easy” majors can definitely be a springboard for you to choose your own path for your future education.

Want to explore these undergraduate majors and others that sound interesting to you? Use our Major Search tool to uncover areas of study, what you’ll learn in the classes, the best schools for each major, and career prospects.

*More salary information can be at Occupation Finder : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov).

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By Hilary Cairns
Hilary Cairns is a graduate of SUNY New Paltz and has a BA in English/Creative Writing. She's an established freelance writer who also has a hand in marketing, social media, and editing for various businesses across the United States.