The Lumina Foundation–Gallup 2026 State of Higher Education Study released recently found that about 47% of students had given at least "a fair amount" of thought to changing their major, while about one in six had already taken action.

The online survey, conducted in October 2025 among 3,801 U.S. students aged 18 to 59 enrolled in bachelor’s or associate programs, found that 3% of bachelor’s students and 19% of associate degree students had changed their field of study over concerns about AI’s effect on jobs.

Courtney Brown, Ph.D., vice president of impact and planning at Lumina Foundation, told CNBC that the findings show AI is reshaping how students "think about their futures," as concerns about job disruption raise doubts about the value of their degrees.

She added that media narratives about AI replacing jobs are prompting students to question whether "the time and the money that they’re investing in getting these degrees is going to pay off."

Students at Stanford University in the U.S. Photo courtesy of the university

Students in technology and vocational fields were the most likely to say they had considered changing majors "a great deal," at 27% and 17%, respectively, according to the report.

Brown said many of these students had already switched into technology or vocational majors, reflecting uncertainty rather than contradiction. "They’re not sure what they should do. Should they go into technology? Should they stay away from technology?" Brown said. "None of us are really sure what AI is going to do."

Despite these concerns, salary projections point to strong prospects for graduates in technical fields.

Engineering and technology roles are expected to be among the highest-paid jobs for U.S. bachelor’s degree graduates in 2026, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ Winter 2026 Salary Survey released in January.

Computer-related roles are projected to rank second in pay, with an average salary of US$82,194, while engineering roles rank third at $80,167.

By academic major, computer science graduates at the bachelor’s level are expected to earn an average of $81,535, the highest among all fields, followed by engineering at $81,198.

At the master’s level, computer science and engineering again lead, with projected salaries of $94,212 and $92,873, respectively.

Demand for graduates in these fields remains high. Computer science ranks third among the most in-demand bachelor’s degrees in the U.S., while it leads demand at the master’s level, followed by mechanical engineering.