Best PhD Programs for Career Advancement

Agriculture PhD programs in universities explore the components of the agricultural industry. As such, agriculture majors study animals, plants, and soil sciences. Advanced degrees in this field can let you further specialize in subjects such as:

• Agricultural Engineering
• Agriculture Business
• Agricultural Economics

Anthropology majors choose as their subject of study the human species. An anthropology PhD degree in universities often involves research programs where you can specialize in:

• Cultural Anthropology
• Linguistic Anthropology
• Anthropological Archeology

PhD students who major in art will explore their creativity and refine particular skills related to the liberal arts. A doctoral program involves research in a chosen field, including:

• Industrial Design
• Visual Arts
• Art History

Religious studies or biblical studies is among the best PhD programs for professionals who want to explore the origins and impact of religious texts in their career path. Most universities will require research in a particular area, such as:

• Systematic Theology
• Christian Origins
• Biblical Interpretation and Theology

As a biology major, this level of higher education in universities will explore the biological sciences at the core of nature. Biology PhD studies typically offer more specialized curricula structured around in-demand topics on the job market, such as the following:

• Bioethics
• Immunology
• Enzymology

Business is among the most popular master’s degree and PhD programs, especially for those who want to successfully navigate the field of economics and business management. Business majors will study specialized curricula such as the following:

• Accounting
• Finance
• Business Administration

Chemistry majors will develop the skills needed to navigate the laboratory and conduct experiments, and the good news is that there are PhD programs that offer financial aid. At the PhD degree level, chemistry students will likely conduct rigorous research and specialize in a particular area of study, such as the following:

• Biochemistry
• Organic Chemistry
• Physical Chemistry

A PhD degree in communications will focus on the key theories of proper communication in various contexts. Doctorate research programs on communications play a vital role in countless organizations and business operations. Communications students can choose to specialize in one such area of study, including:

• Advertising
• Mass Media
• Strategic Communication

Universities with the best PhD programs in computer science will explore what makes computers work and what they’re capable of doing. A PhD degree in computer science has a promising job security, especially once you establish credibility and use your research to contribute to various specializations, including:

• Data Structure
• Computer Architecture
• Artificial Intelligence

A PhD degree in criminal justice is the best degree to complete for students with interests in legal professions such as becoming a lawyer, judge, or activist. Criminal justice programs typically focus on one of the following specializations:

• Forensic Science
• Homeland Security
• Law Enforcement

A PhD degree in cybersecurity represents a fairly new field of study wherein students explore key concepts of security in a modern world that is increasingly interconnected online. You may apply for the highest-paying job opportunities after extensive research on these specializations:

• Big Data and Applications Security
• Machine Learning Technologies
• Cloud Security

Majoring in data science is an excellent pathway to secure some of the highest-paying jobs. Universities with the best PhD programs in data science will offer specialized tracks such as the following:

• Data Engineering
• Database Management
• Business Intelligence

A PhD degree in design will help you develop creative skills and explore design theory in the arts. With a great earning potential, you can leverage an arts degree to excel professionally, design majors often apply their skills as marketers and web designers. Compare the top universities for design where you can focus on degree specializations like:

• Product Design
• User Experience Design
• Urban Design and Theory

A PhD degree in Earth science will require you to research and study factors of nature such as natural hazards, climate change, and the earth’s many ecosystems. In most universities, Earth science programs become more focused on building certain specializations:

• Conservation Science
• Geochemistry
• Oceanography

Students who choose an economics program as their central study will focus on resources and how people use them. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job opportunities for economists expect a 5% growth from 2023 to 2033. To stay ahead of this growth, aim to get a PhD degree and major in economics to pursue more specialized study in topics such as:

• Public Finance
• Industrial Organization
• International Economics

A PhD degree in education can be time-consuming, especially if you’re currently teaching. However, the research you’ll develop will let you identify gaps and provide solutions for the growing landscape of education. Most education programs in universities tend to focus on specific types of education, such as the following:

• Special Education
• Education Policy
• Curriculum

Getting into the best PhD programs for engineering can provide you with opportunities to secure a high salary. Most universities have an interdisciplinary curriculum that combines math, physics, and business. Engineering majors will progress through programs with curricula based on the following topics:

• Mechanical Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Electrical Engineering

A PhD in English and literature typically requires strong writing skills and research. Most universities offer specializations in an English program, including:

• Composition
• Creative Writing
• Literary Theory

PhD degree in environmental science will explore the fundamental sciences related to the natural forces of the earth’s environment. Research will focus on the biological, chemical, and physical components that make up the environment. Popular specializations in universities include:

• Climate Change
• Renewable Energy
• Urban Ecology

A PhD degree in gender studies will progress through a curriculum that’s designed to highlight the role of gender in society. Gender studies majors in colleges and universities will conduct research and explore gender across multiple disciplines with popular topics such as the following:

• Gender Identity
• Interpersonal Relationships
• Gender Psychology

As a medical doctor, you can also complete a curriculum designed to prepare you to take positions of management within healthcare facilities. To help you successfully navigate the advanced field of healthcare administration, a PhD degree can help you further study:

• Delivery of Care
• Leadership
• Financial Management

A PhD degree in history involves researching and exploring the events and cultural achievements of mankind throughout time. In most universities, students will read prominent historical literature to experience different perspectives on key events in the past. A history PhD program will expect you to dive deeper into such topics:

• Social Revolutions
• Politics
• Colonialism

A PhD in information science is a comprehensive doctoral program that will equip you with advanced research skills and deep knowledge in fields like data management, information technology, digital libraries, and human-computer interaction. Job opportunities with a high earning potential await PhD graduates who have career goals specializing in fields like:

• Communication and Information
• Information Systems Design
• Informatics and Computational Science

Informational technology (IT) majors build an essential skill set needed to operate and troubleshoot various technological interfaces.

Informational technology is among the best PhD programs that command a high salary. Before you achieve this, you’ll need to pass a meticulous application process in universities and work on research in particular areas, with options such as:

• Artificial Intelligence
• Cloud Computing
• Data Management

Despite being one of the most demanding advanced degrees, a PhD degree in law can come with a high median salary with the right job. PhD programs in universities will provide you with the ideal knowledge and skills to excel in a legal profession. Your research can also specialize in areas like:

• Jurisprudence
• Administrative Law
• International Law

A leadership PhD degree will study the fundamentals of upper-level management and communication in a business environment for your career path. Universities will let you focus on research topics such as:

• Conflict Resolution
• Employee Engagement
• Motivation and Retention

Marketing is also one of the most popular bachelor’s and master’s degree options in many universities in the United States. Marketing majors will learn how to leverage communication skills and design theory to optimize outreach from businesses to consumers. In a PhD degree, marketing curricula will typically confer a specialized focus such as:

• Strategy
• Brand Management
• B2B Marketing Services

A PhD degree in mathematics progresses through a curriculum that presents an array of various topics in math and approaches to problem-solving. In a mathematics program, you will explore more specialized topics, such as the following:

• Actuarial Science
• Computational Math
• Geometry/Topology

Medicine majors are on the path to securing the highest-paying jobs once they leverage a deep knowledge of disease and biological science to explore medical treatments in a healthcare capacity. A medical doctor can still get into PhD programs and further specialize in areas such as:

• Osteopathic Medicine
• Dental Surgery
• Medical Genetics

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment of registered nurses sees a 6% growth from 2023 to 2033. PhD candidates for a nursing program often need a bachelor’s degree, and most likely a master’s degree, to apply for a doctoral degree in nursing where you can explore topics related to:

• Family Nurse Practitioner
• Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
• Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner

Each course in a PhD degree in philosophy will explore a different philosophical perspective or tradition. It takes a significant commitment for philosophy majors to ponder the existential questions of life. Popular topics in a philosophy program in universities include:

• Philosophy of Science
• Philosophy of Law
• Ethics

A PhD degree in physics can be costly because of the research. The good news is that several colleges and universities offer financial aid. Once you find the right school focusing on STEM fields, you can become a doctorate physics major and explore advanced topics such as:

• Astrophysics
• Biophysics
• Quantum Physics

Political science majors have several career opportunities involving political discourse, governmental structure, and societal impact. Getting into the best PhD programs for political science will let you explore advanced topics like:

• American Politics
• Comparative Politics
• Public Administration

A psychology PhD degree will explore the sciences related to the human mind and how the mind relates to human behavior. Most universities may require research and fieldwork for you to graduate. Popular topics in psychology include:

• Abnormal Psychology
• Cognitive Psychology
• Developmental Psychology

Those who want a PhD degree in social work will study how a society intercedes on behalf of populations that are in need. With a solid personal statement, high grades, and well-prepared research, a social work program will let you explore these topics in more depth, preparing you for social work jobs of higher positions.

• Disaster, Crisis, and Intervention
• Children and Families
• Mental Health

A PhD degree in sociology studies human behavior and how individuals behave in different circumstances. Your doctorate research may focus on an in-depth study of more advanced topics:

• Class and Stratification
• Social Movements
• Race and Gender

Statistics majors become masters of equations, learning to wield them as solutions to real-world problems. The best PhD programs will teach statistics majors how to gather and analyze data in order to see trends that others would miss. Popular topics include:

• Biostatistics
• Econometrics
• Financial Statistics and Risk

Sustainability majors, especially in research universities, concern themselves with learning how to manage the earth’s limited resources. PhD students will pull knowledge from a wide range of disciplines such as environmental sciences, the humanities, and social sciences. You can explore specializations like:

• Applied Ecology
• Environmental Policy
• Natural Resources