She Strengthens

STEM Majors: Where Are They Now?

The journey after graduation can be a daunting one, especially for STEM majors who have invested countless hours in their education. We spoke to nine former STEM majors to find out where life has taken them after undergrad and how their degrees have shaped their experiences.

Variety and Additional Education

Mary, 25, who majored in health sciences, found that her degree opened doors to various career options. However, many of these options require additional years of school after finishing the undergraduate degree. She’s currently working in the nutrition field, but knows that earning additional degrees and a license is necessary to gain a higher paying and more prominent position.

Networking and Specialization

Amy, 26, majored in Physics and landed a job at a startup company after graduation. She soon realized that she needed to specialize further to move up the career ladder. She went back to school for a Master’s in Engineering and now uses both her degrees every day. According to Amy, having the right qualifications is essential, but networking skills are what get you hired.

Pursuing Passions

Malia, 27, studied public health but found that most entry-level jobs required a Master’s degree, which she wasn’t ready to pursue. She took time to reflect on her career goals and discovered a passion for architecture. She’s now preparing to apply to grad school to pursue her new dream.

Unconventional Career Paths

Jamie, 29, didn’t major in STEM, but works in tech, acting as a middleman between clients and engineers. He credits his art history background for his ability to communicate effectively with others. Understanding the coding and operations behind the software is crucial in his role.

Reevaluating Goals

Alexandria, 23, graduated with a degree in biology, intending to go to medical school. However, after experiencing the hospital system firsthand, she realized that she couldn’t stand the lack of compassion from doctors. She’s now pursuing her passion for photography, grateful for the education she received, but aware of the debt she’s accumulated.

Government Sector

Shannon, 28, has a B.S. in geological engineering and an M.S. in environmental engineering. She completed coursework for a PhD but decided academia wasn’t for her. She now works as an environmental engineering project manager, reviewing and approving landfill designs. Her top priority is work-life balance, which led her to the public sector.

Technical Background

Ella, 24, majored in computer science and works as an analyst. Her technical background is essential for her role, which involves data analysis and writing SQL queries. Although she uses more soft skills than programming, her degree has prepared her for project management opportunities in the future.

Practical Application

Diana, 26, studied software engineering and completed five internships as part of her degree requirements. She gained invaluable experience, knowledge, and contacts, which have been crucial in her daily work. She credits her classes for setting up the basic need-to-knows and covering a broad range of topics.

Quantitative Problem-Solving

Dave, 30, studied math and works at a litigation consulting firm. He chose the job for its quantitative and problem-solving focus, but soon realized the demanding and hierarchical nature of the work. He’s recently accepted a new job that requires him to switch cities, a move he’s looking forward to.