Social impact majors deserve better careers: Universities know it and the public needs it

OUR STUDENTS DID EVERYTHING RIGHT. They studied hard, got good grades, worked between classes, paid their tuition, and believed what we told them: that a college degree would lead to a better life. As sociology professors at a large public university, we see this belief unravel every day. Our students are worried — not because they didn’t put in the effort, but because the support they need to transition into the workforce simply doesn’t exist.

Universities invest heavily in corporate-aligned majors and career pathways, while quietly sidelining students who want to pursue work in social impact, public policy, and education. The result? A two-tiered system: one set of students with access to paid internships, tailored job pipelines, and tech recruiters who come to campus to court them. And another set, where women and students of color are overrepresented, left to figure it out alone.