Here’s one for you college students…

Would you change your current major if different one one was cheaper? 

In Florida, the governor’s task force on higher education has suggested freezing tuition rates for students majoring in particular fields, such as STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) or health care, and letting tuition rates increase for others.

Why?

The government wants to encourage students to enroll in majors in professions that are facing growing demand. 

Time magazine explains this is “a new twist on an old idea.”  In the past, some universities have raised tuition only for majors that are more expensive to provide.  These majors tend to include STEM fields because they require specialized equipment and technology as well as higher faculty salaries.

Not surprisingly, the proposal has received mixed reviews. 

History professors at the University of Florida have organized a protest petition, stating this would cause a cycle in which fewer humanities students would bring in less funding and reduce faculty which would attract fewer students and so on.  Others see this as a way to help ends meet for Florida’s struggling economic situation and to prepare the next generation for the future’s needs.

The question remains whether tiered tuition rates would actually influence students’ choice of major. 

A study by Hanover Research found that for every tuition increase of $100, enrollment decreases between 0.5-1%.  The Florida legislative session begins in March and higher education reform is expected to be a priority.

Would this proposal influence your choice of major?  What kind of signal does it send to students?  Are certain fields more valuable to society than others?