Field of degree: Liberal arts
Table 1. Liberal arts degree, 2019
Data |
Liberal arts |
All fields |
Employment
|
736,780 |
56,820,460 |
Median wage
|
50,000 |
60,000 |
Percent employed part time
|
19 |
15 |
Percent employed in occupations requiring at least a bachelor's degree
|
51 |
61 |
Percent with an advanced degree
|
31 |
37 |
Chart 1. Types of liberal arts majors, 2019
Liberal arts majors |
Major share |
Liberal Arts
|
91% |
Humanities
|
9 |
Chart 2. Employment distribution of workers with a liberal arts degree, by occupational group, 2019
Occupational group |
Occupational group share |
Educational instruction and library occupations
|
20% |
Management occupations
|
15 |
Office and administrative support occupations
|
10 |
Business and financial operations occupations
|
9 |
Sales and related occupations
|
9 |
Other
|
38 |
Table 2. Top-employing occupations for workers with a liberal arts degree
Occupational Outlook Handbook profile |
Percent growth, projected 2020–30 |
Typical entry-level education |
Percent degree holders in this field, this occupation, 2019 |
Percent of this occupation with an advanced degree, 2019 |
Postsecondary teachers
|
24% |
See How to Become One |
2% |
73% |
Lawyers
|
9 |
Doctoral or professional degree |
2 |
92 |
Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
|
8 |
Bachelor's degree |
2 |
54 |
Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
|
8 |
Master's degree |
2 |
56 |
Elementary school teachers, except special education
|
7 |
Bachelor's degree |
9 |
48 |
Personal service managers, all other; entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling; and managers, all other
|
7 |
Bachelor's degree |
4 |
20 |
Customer service representatives
|
-1 |
High school diploma or equivalent |
2 |
4 |
Retail salespersons
|
-1 |
No formal educational credential |
2 |
3 |
First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
|
-6 |
High school diploma or equivalent |
2 |
5 |
Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive
|
-8 |
High school diploma or equivalent |
2 |
4 |
Last Modified Date:
Friday, December 3, 2021