Choosing a college major is a high-stakes decision frequently discussed by economists and policymakers because of the significant, long-term impact on a student’s financial success after graduation. While much attention has been given to policies designed to increase the share of women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields, few have noticed the growth over recent decades of a new racial disparity in college majors, driven not by students’ preferences but primarily by “major restriction” policies imposed by universities.
Restricting access to certain majors unnecessarily pushes students from disadvantaged backgrounds into lower-earning majors, undermining public universities’ mission to promote economic mobility, says this report by the Brookings Institution. The impact of these policies can also be felt at the societal level, translating into reduced economic innovation and growth.
The study calls on universities to replace these policies with less restrictive and/or less stratifying alternatives.