Jobs for the Major
How this major affects a job search
The good news about getting a liberal arts degree is that it's good preparation for just about anything. The skills acquired from this degree are highly sought-after by many employers. Communication, comprehension, and writing skills are all very valuable in the fields like journalism, business, marketing, and management.
Of course, there's also bad news. You won't be all that much of an expert in any of the fields you studied. When you're up against a marketing graduate for a job in marketing, it'll be tough to edge them out unless you have something extra special on your resume…or unless you, we don't know, "eliminate" the competition.
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That "something special" could be anything from internships to additional coursework to good ol' fashioned nepotism. Either way, you'll definitely need some help standing out from the crowd.
Essentially, you're opening yourself up to many different avenues, while most college students are pursuing a career in one direction. It'll typically be harder for a liberal arts graduate to begin and become successful in that regard, but it'll also mean being able to dabble in different things before locking yourself into anything.
Common Career Fields
Business: Many people think you need to begin studying for business school from the time you stop wearing diapers, but this isn't true at all. Don't get us wrong, we aren't saying that you need a degree in liberal arts in order to be a successful business tycoon, but it doesn't hurt. Many people with liberal arts undergraduate degrees go on to receive MBAs and run successful companies.
Entertainment: Entertainment and the arts can be tough for anybody, but many liberal arts majors find themselves pursuing this path after graduation. From actors to musical performers, your liberal arts education could make your life easier. For example, the ability to understand what contracts are telling you for instance could be very helpful. You don't want to end up signing away all of your profits to the record company, now, do you?
Law: A liberal arts degree can be super helpful for those pursuing careers in law. After all, people usually specialize in law after they get their undergraduate degree. A pre-law background helps, but it's not always necessary for students looking to become lawyers. Once you graduate, you can put your liberal arts-related skills to good use in law school.
Management: A large part of management is being able to handle many different issues at once, which is something liberal arts students can sympathize with. Coming home to homework in five different disciplines serves as solid preparation for dealing with management nightmares. From the scary math involved with financial deposits to understanding why you can never put Karen in the same room as Steven, you'll know exactly how to optimize productivity and profitability.
Politics: This is an area where a degree in X, Y, or Z might be important, but more than likely, it's not. While a lot of politicians have political science degrees, it's (surprisingly) not a requirement. Instead, your practical experience and knowledge mean much more—that, and being Mr./Ms. Moneybags.
Sales: Entering the world of sales can be very lucrative…if you know what you're doing. In order to be an effective salesperson, you should be able to communicate effectively with consumers and adapt to different situations. These are two skills that liberal arts majors have easily accessible. Because of their background in a wider array of subjects than many other graduates, they have the ability to connect with a broader audience.
Writing: Writing is like politics in that you don't need to have a degree in it in order to be good at it. Hypothetically, a professional writer could have a background in marketing, biology, history, or whatever, but those who pursue liberal arts degrees are exposed to much more writing throughout their schooling than other majors. They'll be well-versed in writing reports, analyzing documents, and summarizing ideas. All three of these skills are important to a person who is embarking on a writing career.
Current unemployment of the major
6.8%Percentage of majors who get a higher degree after college
25%Stats obtained from this source.