HUMANITIES
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HUMANITIES
Liberal Arts
Salary data, career paths, top colleges, and every specialization, all sourced from College Scorecard, IPEDS, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
About Liberal Arts
Wondering whether Liberal Arts is worth studying? What matters is what graduates actually earn, where they end up working, and which colleges produce the most of them.
A broad foundation across writing, history, social science, and the arts, a flexible entry point into graduate school, business, or public service. Four years after finishing the degree, graduates in this field earn a national median of $53,072, per College Scorecard. You can study it at 2,214 colleges and universities across the country, so location is rarely the limiting factor. About 511,953 students complete a degree in this area every year.
- Median Earnings · 1yr
- $36,809
- Median Earnings · 4yr
- $53,072
- Colleges Offering
- 2,214
- Graduates / Year
- 511,953
- Specializations
- 1
- Avg Net Price / yr
- $9,100
Is a Liberal Arts Degree Right for You?
$53,072
Median earnings · 4yr
1
Specializations
Is the Investment Worth It?
Breaks even in
~1.6
yrs
vs $30K/yr baseline wage
Strong ROI. At median 4-year earnings of $53,072 against an estimated $36,400 four-year net cost, most graduates break even against baseline wages in under two years.
ROI varies significantly by specialization and institution. A top program in a high-demand specialization can return many multiples of its cost. A lower-tier program in a saturated field may take a decade to break even. Use the Specializations and Best Colleges sections above to compare your specific options before deciding.
How Much Do Liberal Arts Majors Earn?
Pay for Liberal Arts graduates climbs fast in the first few years out. The median start is $36,809 one year after graduation, rising to $53,072 by year four, so the early salary is not the ceiling. Source: College Scorecard, across all 2,214 US institutions offering programs in this field.
$36,809
1 Year After Graduation
Median at the institutional level. Entry-level salaries; reflects career start, not peak earnings.
$53,072
4-Year National Median
Enrollment-weighted national median across all institutions. Most graduates have 2-3 years of career experience at this point.
$52,601
4-Year Institutional Median
Median of per-school medians. Each reporting college counts equally, regardless of size. Closer to what a typical school's graduates earn.
Liberal Arts Specializations
Liberal Arts spans 1 specializations, and the choice among them will not swing your paycheck much: four-year earnings run from $53,072 to $53,072 across the whole group. Each row links to a full program profile with institution counts and annual completion data. Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying specialization is the cost and outcomes for a Liberal Arts program, which is worth a closer look before settling on the broader field.
Specialization
Colleges
Grads/yr
Earnings · 4yr
Best Colleges for Liberal Arts
These are the 20 colleges that graduate the most students in Liberal Arts, ranked by how many completed the degree in the most recent reporting year, not by selectivity or prestige. Acceptance rate, net price, earnings, and graduation rate for each one come from College Scorecard and IPEDS.
By that measure, the list starts with the cost and admissions data for Ivy Tech Community College.
1
Ivy Tech Community College
Indianapolis, IN · Public
Acceptance
Open
Net price/yr
$7,258
Earnings 10yr
$37,186
Grad rate
15%
2
Saddleback College
Mission Viejo, CA · Public
Acceptance
Open
Net price/yr
$4,152
Earnings 10yr
$50,874
Grad rate
19%
3
Tarrant County College District
Fort Worth, TX · Public
Acceptance
Open
Net price/yr
$4,337
Earnings 10yr
$42,727
Grad rate
19%
4
Golden West College
Huntington Beach, CA · Public
Acceptance
Open
Net price/yr
$4,824
Earnings 10yr
$43,145
Grad rate
20%
5
Irvine Valley College
Irvine, CA · Public
Acceptance
Open
Net price/yr
$2,090
Earnings 10yr
$49,156
Grad rate
18%
6
Southern Utah University
Cedar City, UT · Public
Acceptance
81.8%
Net price/yr
$10,462
Earnings 10yr
$50,296
Grad rate
42%
7
Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City
Kansas City, MO · Public
Acceptance
Open
Net price/yr
$8,398
Earnings 10yr
$40,796
Grad rate
18%
8
Southern New Hampshire University
Manchester, NH · Nonprofit
Acceptance
99.5%
Net price/yr
$36,708
Earnings 10yr
$50,318
Grad rate
30%
9
Los Angeles Pierce College
Woodland Hills, CA · Public
Acceptance
Open
Net price/yr
$13,270
Earnings 10yr
$44,521
Grad rate
10%
10
Salt Lake Community College
Salt Lake City, UT · Public
Acceptance
Open
Net price/yr
$9,804
Earnings 10yr
$47,867
Grad rate
20%
11
Orange Coast College
Costa Mesa, CA · Public
Acceptance
Open
Net price/yr
$7,203
Earnings 10yr
$47,348
Grad rate
19%
12
Portland Community College
Portland, OR · Public
Acceptance
Open
Net price/yr
$10,405
Earnings 10yr
$44,592
Grad rate
15%
13
Ventura College
Ventura, CA · Public
Acceptance
Open
Net price/yr
$-982
Earnings 10yr
$43,430
Grad rate
17%
14
William Rainey Harper College
Palatine, IL · Public
Acceptance
Open
Net price/yr
$11,607
Earnings 10yr
$48,071
Grad rate
21%
15
Central New Mexico Community College
Albuquerque, NM · Public
Acceptance
Open
Net price/yr
$4,621
Earnings 10yr
$36,869
Grad rate
23%
16
Georgia State University-Perimeter College
Atlanta, GA · Public
Acceptance
90.8%
Net price/yr
$11,453
Earnings 10yr
$47,384
Grad rate
34%
17
Pima Community College
Tucson, AZ · Public
Acceptance
Open
Net price/yr
$3,405
Earnings 10yr
$39,810
Grad rate
19%
18
College of Lake County
Grayslake, IL · Public
Acceptance
Open
Net price/yr
$7,607
Earnings 10yr
$43,424
Grad rate
22%
19
Los Angeles Harbor College
Wilmington, CA · Public
Acceptance
Open
Net price/yr
$13,250
Earnings 10yr
$41,133
Grad rate
10%
20
Cuesta College
San Luis Obispo, CA · Public
Acceptance
Open
Net price/yr
$12,124
Earnings 10yr
$46,047
Grad rate
19%
Ranked by number of Liberal Arts graduates per IPEDS completion data. Acceptance rate, net price, earnings, and graduation rate from College Scorecard. Read our methodology →
How Liberal Arts Compares to Similar Majors
Major
$30k
$40k
$50k
$60k
$70k
$80k
$90k
$100k
Plan Your Path
Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of a Liberal Arts degree, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find programs that match your profile.
College ROI Calculator
See if a Liberal Arts degree pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings its graduates actually see.
College Cost Calculator
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Compare Colleges
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
College Match Quiz
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
Liberal Arts Degree: Pros & Cons
Liberal Arts is a mixed case: real strengths, offset by real trade-offs, and neither side is large enough to settle the decision on its own. All 4 points below are sourced from College Scorecard earnings, Bureau of Labor Statistics projections, and IPEDS graduate counts, with no editorial opinion added.
PROS
- Wide availability Offered at 2,214 colleges nationwide, including community colleges and online programs.
- Strong salary growth Median salary grows from $36,809 at graduation to $53,072 four years later, indicating solid career momentum.
CONS
- Modest median earnings Four-year median of $53,072 lags behind many STEM and business fields, which can affect ROI at higher-cost programs.
- Highly competitive job market Approximately 511,953 students graduate in this field each year, one of the highest volumes among all majors.
Liberal Arts Degree: Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Liberal Arts graduates earn?
$53,072 a year four years after finishing the degree. That is the national median, so half of graduates earn more and half earn less, and specialization, institution, and region move the number a lot. Use the specializations table on this page to see which tracks pay above and below it. Source: College Scorecard.
What is the starting salary for a Liberal Arts degree?
About $36,809 in the first year out, at the institutional level. That is an early number, not a ceiling, and it moves with employer, location, and which specialization within Liberal Arts you picked. Source: College Scorecard.
How many colleges offer Liberal Arts?
2,214 colleges and universities in the United States, so location is rarely the limiting factor. Options run from community colleges offering associate degrees to research universities with doctoral programs, so the harder choice is which type of school fits, not whether one is nearby. The Best Colleges section on this page ranks the top institutions by graduation volume. Source: IPEDS.
Is a Liberal Arts degree worth it?
For most students, yes, though the margin depends on which specialization and school you pick. Median 4-year earnings run $53,072 against an average net price of roughly $9,100 a year across institutions that offer this major, and high-earning specializations widen that gap considerably. Compare your specific program before assuming the average applies to you.
How long does it take to earn a Liberal Arts degree?
Four years for a bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts at the normal full-time pace, or two years for an associate version at a community college. Part-time or online study stretches that timeline out, and transfer credits can shorten it.
What skills do employers look for in Liberal Arts graduates?
Employers hiring Liberal Arts graduates consistently prioritize writing, critical analysis, research, and cross-cultural communication. Employers value the ability to synthesize complex information and communicate clearly, skills that transfer into communications, law, consulting, and content roles.
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