| By Han Tran |

New Technologies Drive Need for Targeting Tech Degree Grads

In today’s job market, companies require individuals and processes that effectively harness the power of technology to stay ahead in today’s fast-paced landscape. Companies are raising their recruiting standards to ensure they select the most talented candidates. Among the many recruiting requirements, college majors are a critical consideration in hiring decisions.

High Demand Degrees

Computer science tops the list of sought-after degrees in 2024, a priority for companies looking to recruit top talent. Computer science is also the highest-paid degree with an average annual income of nearly $160,000. A CS degree requires a combination of knowledge and experience in working with data and statistics, strong math skills, and most importantly, excellent performance in computer skills.

Coming in second, accounting stands out as a secure and high-paying career path within the business sector, offering an average annual income of approximately $138,000.

The third spot is a close tie between business administration and healthcare administration — both demanding fields that require extensive experience and often offer competitive compensation packages.

Companies, Employees, and Evolving Office Structures 

Before the pandemic, office workers mainly worked in person. However, office space leasing utilization has dropped to around 50% of pre-pandemic levels nowadays. Not only is remote work preferred by many employees, but firms also offer many job positions that are hybrid or remote, particularly in computer science-related fields like security and database administration, software engineering, and computer systems. 

As a result, more than 60% of companies have downsized their office spaces since 2020 and 75% of companies plan to set up hybrid workforces for their employees during 2024. Remote and hybrid work styles have gained widespread acceptance, aligning with corporate objectives and yielding multiple financial and business benefits for companies. 

Tech and Market Changes Bring Layoffs

Although specialties like computer science, engineering, and computer-related positions are in high demand, financial issues, AI alternatives, and over-hiring during the pandemic have resulted in budgetary adjustments leading to increased layoffs. In February 2024, layoff announcements in the US climbed by 3%, hitting approximately 84,638 announcements in one month and marking the highest rate since 2009.

Notable companies like Google and Amazon have undergone layoffs this year. In January 2024, Google cut over 200 employees from its core organization, affecting engineering and senior employees. Meanwhile, Amazon made significant layoffs, primarily among their e-commerce customer service staff. Consequently, many customer service manager positions will be eliminated in 2024 as businesses seek to reduce expenses and increase profits. 

Past Priorities, Future Needs 

Although computer science, accounting, and business administration are ranked among the most lucrative degrees, the market has shown its competitiveness and risks apparent in contemporary layoffs. The widespread layoffs can be seen as a consequence of the pandemic and social distancing which led some businesses to over-hire for some roles. Concurrently, advances in AI development began to make other positions replaceable. These factors show an unpredictable future for these industries. Furthermore, many employees value hybrid and remote work styles for better work-life balance. This shift in workforce dynamics aligns with companies’ goals to reduce expenses while increasing flexibility, productivity, and time management. As recruitment trends evolve, employees must focus on continuous learning and adapting to the ever-changing work environment.