Niche degrees that can really pay off
Certain degree programs have strong career potential, including SMU's data center engineering.
You may have seen stories about cool college elective classes, but some institutions really embrace the cutting edge by being among the first to offer obscure degree programs in niche fields of study. And some of these off-the-beaten-path majors can lead to amazing careers in high-demand industries for the students brave enough to pursue them.
Data Center Engineering
Speaking of big data, another soon-to-be popular degree is in data center engineering. The first one was actually developed by Southern Methodist University in direct response to a request by Hewlett-Packard. Talk about demand for skills driving educational offerings!
As SMU shares on its site, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, the 4 million people working in data center operations today is expected to grow to 6 million by 2018. Students in the degree program can expect to take courses in data centers, facilities and infrastructure, data analytics, virtualization and cloud computing.