High school graduations are taking place all around Alabama this week and for many students, college is the next step.

One of the biggest decisions for those who are pursuing higher education is what their major will be. There are some courses of study that are more popular than others, according to a recent ranking by Stacker that looks at the 25 most common undergraduate degrees in Alabama.

Stacker/Best Universities compiled data from the Department of Education on the average number of students graduating from a particular undergraduate program in each state in the 2017 and 2018 school years which is the most recent data available. Income data is calculated as median earnings three years after graduation.

25. Dental Support Services and Allied Professions

• Total undergraduate students: 638 (1.3%)
• Median earnings: $24,593

24. Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

• Total undergraduate students: 658 (1.3%)
• Median earnings: $38,545

23. Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services

• Total undergraduate students: 721 (1.4%)
• Median earnings: $27,241

22. Communication and Media Studies

• Total undergraduate students: 757 (1.5%)
• Median earnings: $33,220

21. Mechanical Engineering

• Total undergraduate students: 864 (1.7%)
• Median earnings: $75,677

20. Fire Protection

• Total undergraduate students: 1,000 (2.0%)
• Median earnings: $68,679

19. Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services

• Total undergraduate students: 1,010 (2.0%)
• Median earnings: $14,791

18. Finance and Financial Management Services

• Total undergraduate students: 1,059 (2.1%)
• Median earnings: $50,412

17. Marketing

• Total undergraduate students: 1,088 (2.1%)
• Median earnings: $40,537

16. Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians

• Total undergraduate students: 1,247 (2.5%)
• Median earnings: $70,187

15. Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants

• Total undergraduate students: 1,370 (2.7%)
• Median earnings: $42,168

14. Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

• Total undergraduate students: 1,467 (2.9%)
• Median earnings: $37,751

13. Biology, General

• Total undergraduate students: 1,513 (3.0%)
• Median earnings: $34,101

12. Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions

• Total undergraduate students: 1,546 (3.0%)
• Median earnings: $40,667

11. Precision Metal Working

• Total undergraduate students: 1,548 (3.0%)
• Median earnings: $34,067

10. Computer and Information Sciences, General

• Total undergraduate students: 1,591 (3.1%)
• Median earnings: $66,674

9. Psychology, General

• Total undergraduate students: 1,596 (3.1%)
• Median earnings: $31,098

8. Accounting and Related Services

• Total undergraduate students: 1,808 (3.6%)
• Median earnings: $46,825

7. Health and Medical Administrative Services

• Total undergraduate students: 1,951 (3.8%)
• Median earnings: $26,666

6. Criminal Justice and Corrections

• Total undergraduate students: 2,714 (5.3%)
• Median earnings: $36,209

5. Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services

• Total undergraduate students: 3,514 (6.9%)
• Median earnings: $25,487

4. Business/Commerce, General

• Total undergraduate students: 3,598 (7.1%)
• Median earnings: $45,613

3. Business Administration, Management and Operations

• Total undergraduate students: 5,227 (10.3%)
• Median earnings: $38,806

2. Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

• Total undergraduate students: 5,528 (10.9%)
• Median earnings: $57,713

1. Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

• Total undergraduate students: 6,866 (13.5%)
• Median earnings: $28,355

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the top three degree programs for the period 2009-2010 through 2019-2020 were business, health programs, and social sciences/history, with psychology, biological/biomedical sciences, and engineering not far behind.