Majors That May Get You Into the 1%

Want your kid to make it into the 1%? Then the New York Times' Economix blog knows which majors you might want to steer him or her toward. In an analysis of census data, it found that the majors with the best chance of making it into that coveted top 1% are:

1. Pre-med: Of those who major in pre-med programs, 11.8% make it into the 1%. However, just 0.9% of all 1-percenters majored in pre-med.
2. Economics: Of those who major in econ, 8.2% reach the 1%. And a relatively large share—5.4%—of 1-percenters are econ majors.

3. Biochemistry: Biochemical science majors have a 7.2% chance of getting into the 1%. Just 0.7% of 1-percenters majored in biochem.
4. Zoology: Of zoology majors, 6.9% are in the 1%. Of 1-percenters, 0.6% are zoology majors.
5. Biology: Biology majors have a 6.7% chance of landing a spot in the 1%. But a whopping 6.6% of 1-percenters majored in bio, the largest share on the list.

Your chances also depend upon the sector you choose, the Times notes. A separate analysis found that lawyers have a one in eight chance of reaching the 1%, unless they work on Wall Street, in which case they have a one in three chance. Click for the full list. (More One Percenter stories.)