To date, we’ve asked 296 current and past liberal arts and related studies students about their happiness with their degree. Turns out, they rate it average.

There’s likely at least a few majors you could see yourself in.

To help you reach the decision that is right for you, we asked students who have pursued a liberal arts and related studies degree to respond to questions concerning five dimensions of the educational track they chose:

  • Course material: Were they interested in the material they learned?
  • Intellectual fulfillment: Did they find the coursework intellectually stimulating?
  • Job prospects: Did they leave the program with job opportunities?
  • Personality: Was the degree a good fit for their personality?
  • Overall fit: Were they happy with the program overall?

We examined their responses and combined the rankings to give us an average satisfaction score across all students. This doesn't necessarily reflect how satisfied you would be with a liberal arts and related studies degree, but it’s a starting point to help you evaluate your options.

How satisfied are liberal arts and related studies students compared to other degrees?

Overall, liberal arts and related studies students rate their satisfaction with their degree a 2.8 out of 5. For context, liberal arts and related studies students rate their happiness similarly to students in Liberal Arts and Humanities, Liberal Arts And Sciences and Education.

Here are other degrees that have a similar satisfaction rating to liberal arts and related studies

DegreeAvg Grad SalarySatisfaction
Education and Teaching$47,723
Design and Applied Arts$54,059
Liberal Arts And Sciences$52,521
Liberal Arts and Related Studies$56,023
Liberal Arts and Humanities$56,023
Education$52,252
General Studies$58,556
Nursing$64,053
Registered Nursing$65,846

Let's break that down further.

Are liberal arts and related studies students satisfied with what they’re learning?

We asked students about their satisfaction with their course material and overall intellectual fulfillment. Here’s what they said:

We asked graduates how interesting they found the course material to be. Their response was:
3.1 out of 5 stars
331 ratings
5 stars
11%
4 stars
29%
3 stars
32%
2 stars
16%
1 stars
10%
We asked graduates how intellectually fulfilling they found the degree. Their response was:
3.0 out of 5 stars
327 ratings
5 stars
9%
4 stars
28%
3 stars
28%
2 stars
20%
1 stars
15%

These ratings are meant to give you an indication about what other people enrolled in liberal arts and related studies experienced. While their input is useful, keep in mind that different people have had vastly different experiences, all of which were impacted by their personal motivations, professors, and specific curriculum. Always keep your own goals at the center of your decision-making process when it comes to something as significant as your education.

Did liberal arts and related studies graduates leave school with good job prospects?

Of course, working towards a degree is also about pursuing your desired career. Here’s what liberal arts and related studies grads had to say about their job prospects:

We asked graduates how satisfied they were with their job prospects. Their response was:
2.2 out of 5 stars
321 ratings
5 stars
4%
4 stars
8%
3 stars
28%
2 stars
27%
1 stars
32%

We can see there’s a cluster of negative responses, which might indicate a declining or competitive job market.

Were liberal arts and related studies students happy with their degree overall?

This rating takes into account all factors: how demanding the program is, whether graduates felt it was worthwhile, and how fulfilling they found their educational experience.

We asked graduates how satisfied they were with their degree as a whole. Their response was:
2.8 out of 5 stars
296 ratings
5 stars
9%
4 stars
18%
3 stars
32%
2 stars
21%
1 stars
19%

As you consider this information and input from others, remember above all that your choice should be based on your interests, goals, passions, and abilities. Consider the future and give yourself time. If you’re feeling unsure, click here to take our career assessment and see what path could be right for you.

Salary

Find out what graduates typically earn.

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