Seems like the biggest reason not to pick your career based on the economy is this: you'll probably won't like the job. So, instead of doing something you enjoy, you get to spend 50 years doing a job you hate.
Now, if you guessed right, maybe you'll hate your job, but at least make some money. But if you guessed wrong - you'll have huge student loans to pay, and a lifetime of misery, all because you' placed money above your happiness.
Beats no job at all and living with your parents when done.
Shoot. I graduated in 2009. 13/hrs was considered GOOD for recent graduates!
I was an older student who went to work 1st and went to college later and my HS classmates were class of 2000. Wow, what a change these younger millenials have no clue what life would be like if they were born 10 years earlier. If any reader graduated in 1970 - 2001 you know nothing what it is like to today and the kind of crappy jobs and low wages await someone with no experience here in 2015. For the younger slashdotters reading this did you know back in the good old days you could make up to $40,000 a year as en entry level salary? No really. You did not need 5 years experience and a major in the right area for an entry level job. You started at $40,000 if you had a degree in anything business. medical, or science related back then. Today these older folks say major in what you like?
For the older slashdotters it is 2015 and having a job you hate for 40 years is better than moving in with your parents and working at Walmart with your art degree while your phone rings from debt collectors wanting student loan repayment and threatening car repossessions. Which is where many if not half of new recent college grads end up shockingly. Of course graduating in 2009 was the worst in 70 years but it shocked me as my friends who made it big all started in 2000 and are now frankly much more successful as a result. Sigh.
I lucked out as I had a resume and even if I made less money after a degree as I put some career prospects on hold and HR only cares about experience and the degree today is worth toilet paper as you are a dime a dozen and you are marked for life if God forbid you majored in the wrong area or do not already have 3 - 5 years experience before entering the workforce complete with 3 professional references for that golden $40,000 a year job.