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Authored by, Amay Mathur | Senior Editor
Amay Mathur is a business news reporter at Chegg.com. He previously worked for PCMag, Business Insider, The Messenger, and ZDNET as a reporter and copyeditor. His areas of coverage encompass tech, business, strategy, finance, and even space. He is a Columbia University graduate.
Class 10th is a stepping stone to opportunities for long-term career growth. Therefore, choosing the best career options after 10th is essential for every student. Yet, many students ignore the significance of career planning after completing 10th grade.
They often consider it an inessential aspect of their lives that can be pondered later. However, a survey in 2023 revealed that 41% of students look for a career change at least once in their lifetime. This happens due to a lack of awareness about different courses or totally skipping early career planning after class 10th. That’s why students must understand that early career planning allows them to make informed decisions and set clear career goals.
This article will help you in choosing the best career options after 10th, depending upon your aspirations. While you become skeptical about which stream to choose among science, commerce and arts, let us aid you in deciphering what suits you best. Science and commerce is a fusion of theoretical and technical subjects, whereas arts is more of a theoretical plus creative discipline.
Get your hands on this comprehensive guide and embark on your academic journey after 10th grade filled with clarity and confidence.
The arts stream comprises knowledge of diverse languages, social issues, history, and world affairs. It is categorized into three types: Fine Arts, Performing Arts, and Visual Arts, offering various career options after 10th for students interested in creativity and humanities.
Fine arts are related to aesthetic beauty and include literature, drawing, sculpture, painting, and pottery. Visual arts are mainly related to film-making, and performing arts include comedy, drama, music, dance, and singing.
Students belonging to Arts streams can apply for jobs according to their subjects and skills learnt. Some of the popular jobs include teaching, law, journalism and media, social services and tourism
Here is an overview of how to kick start your career growth after 10th in Arts Stream include:
Humanities subjects comprise history, political science, sociology, philosophy and psychology. You can explore all of these and take up a specialisation course in one of the subjects you wish to. There are some of the most sought-after and interesting job roles under humanities. These include;
Fine arts are mainly related to visual arts, such as painting, sculpture, architecture, and motifs. If you are passionate about visual and performing arts, the diploma in Fine Arts is one of the best Career Options After 10th to pursue.
Some of the popular job roles in Fine arts include:
Fine arts students can also tap their feet in the entertainment, advertising, multimedia and publishing industry.
Fashion design is not just confined to dresses. It also includes shoes, footwear, bags and accessories. You can take up a diploma in fashion design course to get industry-ready. Some of the popular job roles in the fashion industry include;
Career options after 10th include a Diploma in Journalism, which is an apt course for students interested in mass communication. You discover the art of storytelling and fabricating compelling news stories, making this career rewarding. These courses have a duration of 1 to 3 years, depending upon your aspirations.
Some of the popular job roles in mass communication include;
The commerce stream is especially designed for business-oriented students. It paves a path for career options after 10th, such as Chartered Accountant, Financial Analyst, Investment Banker, Financial Advisor, and many more. By choosing the commerce stream, you gain information related to Finance, Economics, and Business disciplines.
If you like working with numbers and data analysis interests you, commerce stream is just for you. Some of the popular courses under the Commerce stream include;
Thus, the commerce stream determines the long-term career path. You can witness positive job prospects if you are a commerce student. Some of the best career options in commerce after 10th and 12th include:
The accountant can earn (sourced from Indeed) an average salary of ₹3,23,462 annually in India. Accountants are usually responsible for managing the finances of the company. You can find various specialisations such as financial accountants, chartered accountants, or tax accountants under this job role.
In India, a banker can earn an average salary of ₹2,76,878 annually. Their primary job role is to provide financial services such as investment, insurance, credit, and cash management to customers.
A Company Secretary can earn an average salary of ₹ 3,89,742 per year in India. They are fundamentally responsible for verifying and auditing reports, filing tax returns, managing shareholders’ ownership, and rechecking the company’s balance sheet. Students find this career path lucrative as it has a high potential for growth.
An investment banker can earn an average salary of ₹4,91,064 per year. They work with big investment and asset management companies. They are primarily responsible for creating investment portfolios, anticipating correct market trends, using the right expertise, and maximising their clients’ profits. It is a highly lucrative job role with a handsome salary package in the long run, making it one of the top career options after 10th for students interested in finance and business.
Science has been the most popular stream among all three streams since the last decade. As per the reports, approximately 42% of students in India opt science stream after the 10th. This is probably because the science stream offers the best career options in the fields of IT, medicine, and engineering. It also offers research roles. Students look up to the science stream also because it is a highly flexible stream. You can easily shift from science to commerce/arts in the future. But, the vice versa is not applicable.
So, if you want to become a tech-savvy human or numbers seem fascinating to you, the science stream is perfect! You develop problem-solving and critical-thinking skills under the science stream. It is a perfect blend of theoretical and practical understanding through its core subjects. The key subjects of science streams include:
The science stream offers several career options/fields to students. Following are the best job opportunities included under the science stream:
The two famous engineering courses are B.E. and B.Tech. India has some of the best engineering institutes in the world. The famous IITs, NITs, CFTIs, and IIITs unlock doors for plenty of job specialisation for their students. These include mechanical, Civil, Electrical, Software, IT, Computer Science and Biomedical Engineers.
The famous medical courses in India are MBBS, BDS, BHMS (Bachelor of Homoeopathic Medicine and Surgery), and BAMA. Some of the world-class renowned Indian medical institutes are AIIMS and JPIMER. Students must qualify for the NEET exam to be admitted to these institutes. Some popular job opportunities in the medical field include physiotherapy, pharmacy, biotechnology, nutrition and dieticianry, and psychology.
Career options after 10th include pharmacy, which is an excellent choice for science stream students. It revolves around the production, distribution, and importance of biochemistry in medicine. Courses such as a Diploma in Pharmacy Assistant, a Certificate in Pharmaceutical Management, and Veterinary Pharmacy can help you achieve job roles like pharmacy assistant, pharmacy technician, chemotherapy pharmacist, and pharmacist.
A research scientist is a lucrative job option in the research field. To become a researcher, you need to take up a science stream and choose subjects accordingly. There are various types of research scientist options out there. Some popular scientific researchers include astronomers, botanists, geologists, and biologists.
In today’s world, women are demonstrating female empowerment. They are breaking barriers and excelling in every field. However, some women are still facing problems with choosing career paths. Due to personal issues, they want to either achieve a work-life balance or look for opportunities where they can showcase their creativity, emotions, and empathy.
It has been witnessed that girls have greater emotional intelligence and a higher creative edge. Therefore, we have listed a plethora of the best career options after 10th grade for girls.
Career options after 10th include teaching, which requires good communication, patience, empathy, and emotional intelligence. Girls are often nurtured to take care of their homes and children, making teaching a suitable profession that aligns with these skills. Moreover, the working hours allow for a balanced work-life routine, as teachers typically return home by noon. It is a rewarding career for those passionate about educating and nurturing students with their knowledge.
Nursing gives people the opportunity to impact their lives by helping them overcome illness. Girls tend to have higher emotional intelligence, patience, and empathy than boys, and nursing requires all of these skills. Thus, it is one of the best career options for girls. A brownie point—nursing also allows employees to work part-time, enhancing their work-life balance.
This job role requires creativity, strategic thinking, good communication, and expertise in digital marketing. It is best for girls as they have a penchant for creativity, and this job role gives them an apt opportunity to showcase their creativity to build impactful marketing campaigns. It can also offer remote work, ensuring their work-life balance.
Reports reveal that almost 50% of students become extremely nervous about math as early as first or second grade. If you, too, have math trauma until 10th grade and are confused about choosing a lucrative career path, fear not!
Many people struggle with math anxiety, but overcoming it can open doors to better opportunities. In fact, experts argue that Americans need to get over their fear of math (Harvard Business Review) to thrive in today’s competitive job market. However, if math still feels overwhelming, you’ll be glad to know that several well-paid careers require very little mathematics in daily tasks.
Let’s discuss topcareer options after 10th without math:
Hotel Management is a good career option for students who don’t want to opt for math after 10th. You can take up commerce without math to become a hotel manager.
A hotel manager oversees all services, from planning and organising to coordinating and managing finances. It is indeed a rewarding career path, with an average salary of ₹3,31,808 (Sourced from Indeed) annually in India.
Journalism is one of the multifarious career choices in commerce without math. Journalists are responsible for acquiring information, assessing it, and finally publishing it for the audience.
A journalist can work in digital media or print entities. They can also work in broadcasting, such as television or radio. The average salary of a journalist in India is ₹3,19,874 annually.
You don’t need to be brilliant in mathematics to get into law college. All you need is some analytical skills and good communication skills. You can take up a commerce or arts stream to become a lawyer.
This also is a lucrative career path in India with a good career prospect. The average salary of a Lawyer in India is ₹7,85,000
Class 10th is a perfect time to reflect on your interests and choose an apt career path. However, the plethora of options available to you may make it overwhelming.
So, we have curated a list of the best career options after the 10th in India across all streams.
There is a list of Polytechnic courses which are mainly designed for students who have an inclination towards technology. In India, polytechnic colleges extend diploma courses for one, two, or three years. These courses include diplomas in Mechanical, Civil, Computer, Automobile, and Chemical engineering. These courses are pocket-friendly, and you become job-ready at an earlier stage.
Career options after 10th include pursuing an ITI degree, which is ideal for students who want to start earning early after acquiring a technical qualification. The duration of these courses ranges from 6 months to 2 years, and students can obtain an ITI certificate in over 100 courses, covering both technical and non-technical fields.
Some of the top ITI courses include Computer and Hardware Maintenance, computer programmer, fitter engineering, pump operator, and dressmaker.
Paramedical courses are related to the healthcare industry. The core courses under paramedical include;
The top job roles offered after the completion of these courses are:
Career options after 10th require proper guidance, making career counselling essential as most students are unaware of their future plans beyond grade 10. Career counselling helps students make informed decisions when selecting streams after 10th. There are several reasons why career counselling plays a crucial role in shaping their future.
Thus, consider choosing the right professional for career counselling. Check their psychometric assessment to understand how students get evaluated on multiple grounds and acquire hassle-free career guidance.
Making the right career choice post-10th grade is a significant aspect of student life. It lets you step ahead towards academic excellence. You must explore varied courses by acknowledging your personal and academic interests. Taking up the psychometric and biometric tests can leverage your potential to choose the right career path for yourself.
Keep exploring all kinds of career options after 10th across science, commerce and arts streams to make informed decisions. Whether you want to become a teacher or an AI specialist, stay updated about industry trends by seeking career counselling. A good career counsellor can help you understand the need for adaptability and acquire multidisciplinary knowledge so that you have the capacity to evolve with the career industry.
Girls often seek career options that fundamentally demand creativity and emotional intelligence. They also look out for career paths that give a good work-life balance. Some of those fulfilling career paths include:
1. Culinary arts
2. Fine arts
3. Event management
4. Journalism and Media
5. Teaching
6. Fashion Designing
7. Graphic Designing
8. Writing
9. Marketing Management
Yes, you can pursue career options after 10th in commerce without math. There are multiple career opportunities after choosing commerce without math in 12th, including law, arts courses, and hotel management. If you’re specifically interested in commerce, you can explore career paths like Company Secretary, Chartered Accountant, and Chartered Financial Analyst.
The science stream is popular among students due to its diverse career options and potential for greater societal impact. Some of the lucrative careers after 10th in the science stream range from engineering to research. Here is a list of the top high-paying careers in the science stream:
1. Engineering
2. Medicine
3. Architecture
4. Biotechnology
5. Research
6. Forensic science
7. Botanist
8. Marine biology
Class 10th is a turning point for every student in their career. Most do not pay heed to it and get lost in their careers later. Therefore, career options after 10th should be explored through career counseling. It helps students choose which stream is good for them through psychometric evaluations, enhancing their future career opportunities.
Gone are the days when there were limited good career options in the arts. In today’s changing world, there are rewarding and lucrative career options in the arts after 10th grade. The popular ones include fashion design, fine arts, journalism, event management, interior design, animation, and many more.
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Chegg India does not ask for money to offer any opportunity with the company. We request you to be vigilant before sharing your personal and financial information with any third party. Beware of fraudulent activities claiming affiliation with our company and promising monetary rewards or benefits. Chegg India shall not be responsible for any losses resulting from such activities.
