What Can You Do with a Degree in Liberal Arts Careers?
There is a world of liberal arts careers available out there, from English and literature to sales and corporate business. If you are passionate about helping others, or enjoy leading co-workers to success, then studying for a liberal arts degree can be a great start to a lasting career!
List of the Top 40 Liberal Arts Careers & Salaries
With the wide-range of career paths associated with the Liberal Arts, we have put together a list of 40 jobs to help spark your imagination:
| Job Title | Job Summary |
Mid-Career Pay |
| Executive Producer | Efficiently manages the production activities of a business and resolves issues in a timely manner. |
$97,911 |
| Corporate Manager | Manages and directs employees in a corporate setting with accuracy and efficiency. |
$100,000 |
| Editorial Director | Works with publishing agencies to manage the written and graphic content of a company. |
$91,094 |
| Marketing Director | Oversees and manages the departments responsible for all of a company’s marketing tasks. |
$88,524 |
| Film/TV Producer | Involved in every stage of a film or television production development and content. |
$69,804 |
| Business Development Manager | In charge of managing expectations and developing business solutions within an organization. |
$73,367 |
| News Anchor | Expertly relays vital news information to the public in an effective, compassionate manner. |
$61,282 |
| Human Resources Director | Manages several departments within an organization while handling a variety of employee-related tasks. |
$88,920 |
| Social Media Marketing Manager | Develops the online presence of a business by creating content for social media outlets and blogs. |
$52,782 |
| Media Manager | Helps a business increase the effectiveness of its interactions with the media and press. |
$66,247 |
| Psychologist | Utilizes specialized skills and knowledge to provide psychological testing and therapy. |
$77,996 |
| Market Research Analysts | Reviews market data to help a company’s profits grow over time. |
$54,314 |
| Human Resources Manager | Oversees the policies and procedures related to employee concerns in an organization. |
$67,685 |
| Operations Manager | Oversees a company’s production of goods and services to ensure they meet market expectations. |
$65,852 |
| Account Manager | Performs tasks related to the management of a company’s customer relationships. |
$54,636 |
| Social and Community Service Manager | Manages the budgets and projects of a community while working with the public to identify their needs. |
$49,014 |
| Payroll Manager | Responsible for overseeing the daily payroll processes for a business and its staff. |
$68,220 |
| Education Program Manager | Collaborates with clients to deliver smooth and effective educational experiences. |
$58,412 |
| Special Education Teacher | In conjunction with a teaching degree, instructs students with disabilities in a school setting. |
$48,789 |
| Real Estate Agent | Works with commercial and residential clients to help facilitate the sale or purchase of a property. |
$48,499 |
| Teacher – College/University | Combines their skills with a teaching degree to instruct post-secondary students in a variety of fields. |
$49,771 |
| Executive Assistant | Provides administrative support to high-level management within an organization. |
$56,139 |
| Registrar – College/University | Oversees all articulation processes, activities, and programs at a postsecondary institution. |
$58,036 |
| Program Manager, Non-Profit Organization | Oversees all aspects of projects to ensure alignment with organization’s goals and mission. |
$52,389 |
| Career/Vocational Counselor | Helps individuals entering the workforce to identify the career paths that best suit their skills. |
$45,068 |
| English/Literature Teacher – Postsecondary | Utilize their skills and teaching degree to instruct students at colleges or universities in courses related to English and literature. |
$47,046 |
| Archaeologist | Plans, develops, and performs laboratory and field work in relation to archaeological excavation. |
$53,024 |
| Social Worker | Works with patients and families to help assess and treat a variety of social and mental health issues. |
$47,772 |
| Licensed Professional Counselor | Provides therapeutic treatment for clients with mental health disorders in a variety of settings. |
$48,413 |
| Academic Advisor | Offers current and prospective college students important information to guide them in their educational journey. |
$42,958 |
| Retail Store Manager | Manages and oversees the employee and organizational operations of a retail store. |
$49,103 |
| Production Artist – Graphic Arts | Develops high-quality graphic materials for clients, such as signs, brochures, and banners. |
$52,089 |
| Admissions Counselor | Works with incoming students in a college or university setting to help plan their pre-admission studies. |
$37,747 |
| English as a Second Language (ESL) Teacher | In conjunction with a teaching degree, helps non-native speakers learn English language skills. |
$46,004 |
| Office Manager | Uses leadership and communication skills to efficiently manage office operations. |
$48,677 |
| Assistant Store Manager | Assists with a variety of managerial tasks related to the day-to-day operation of a store. |
$49,282 |
| Insurance Agent | Sells policies and handles the paperwork for insurance policies in a variety of office settings. |
$39,751 |
| Case Manager | Evaluates at-risk populations and provides them with guidance to improve their situation. |
$41,176 |
| Personal Banker | Aids individuals in managing their money to balance financial risks and returns. |
$39,205 |
| Administrative Assistant | Provides various types of administrative assistance in a wide-range of fields. |
$45,547 |
*Data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Payscale.com
What can you do with a Liberal Arts Degree?
As you can see, the careers associated with a Liberal Arts degree vary widely! Whether you have a head for numbers or dream of teaching at a respected college, there is something for everyone when you customize your liberal arts degree program to suit your end goals.
Just as the Liberal Arts career paths vary, you may have noticed that the salaries listed above have a wide range as well. As with any career, experience and educational level play a large role in salary outcome. The table above highlights the average salaries that you may be able to expect after working 10 years in a professional field.
What is a Liberal Arts Degree?
In the past, the liberal arts were often thought to be “too general” to have much of an impact once students were ready to enter the workforce. Times have changed, however, and more than ever, employers are seeking out the well-rounded students with a wide-range of skills.
Liberal arts encompasses many disciplines, including college majors such as:
- English
- Literature
- Communications
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Creative arts
- Anthropology
- History
The unifying factor in all liberal arts programs is their interdisciplinary focus.
“What this means to the faculty—and the students as well — is that no matter what course or what department or discipline a course may reside [in] the focus is cross- or interdisciplinary. This requires that our students have an appreciation for how multiple disciplines may contribute to fuller understanding of many complex problems such as. . . international conflicts.” Michael Kerchner, Associate Professor of Psychology at Washington College in Maryland
At the bachelor’s level, you will focus on a broad overview of the arts, sciences, and humanities. In higher level degree programs, many colleges offer ways to customize your degree to learn advanced skills that can be applied in the workforce. If you need a flexible schedule to accommodate your work or family obligations, many universities even offer reputable online degree programs in the Liberal Arts!
Liberal Arts Career Outlook
When considering the career outlook of a Liberal Arts degree, there are several factors to take into consideration. To get a clearer picture, students should consider the outlooks and growth rates of several common industries associated with the Liberal Arts.
For example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that careers in the arts and design occupations is projected to decline 4 percent from 2019 to 2029. The median annual wage for arts and design occupations was $48,130 in May 2019, which was higher than the median annual wage for all occupations of $39,810.
To give yourself an edge in the competitive job market, it can pay off to identify the Liberal Arts discipline that you are most interested in early on in your educational journey. This will give you the opportunity to learn specialized skills to supplement the desirable management and leadership traits that employers are looking for in recent college graduates.
Working towards a degree in the Liberal Arts is a great step forward in a variety of career choices. For a more in-depth look, check out our article: What are Liberal Arts?
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