Jobs in Art History Degree

[Anonymous]

I know several people who were art history majors who went to work at Goldman Sachs directly from undergrad. I was shocked. Granted. They're brilliant people. Some of the IBs just want the smartest people. They put them through their own evaluations and train them up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Big 3 consultant but you have network.

Likely too late for this if the student is graduating in May. Recruiting for most consulting, finance programs, etc. is probably over. That being said, it doesn’t hurt to sift through LinkedIn and other job boards to see if openings remain.

No network outside of recruiting. That's the best way to get in

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was an art history major in the 80's. The breadth of knowledge I gained from that major is incomparable-history, politics, religion, civilizations, etc. I can answer over 80% of Jeopardy clues. I'm also a great conversationalist and can discuss a wide range of topics due to my education. Don't knock it.

2000s AH major here. I'm a champion conversationalist and am our firm's fixer to schmooze clients. I joke I majored in cocktail party.

[Anonymous]

Marry a prince

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was an art history major in the 80's. The breadth of knowledge I gained from that major is incomparable-history, politics, religion, civilizations, etc. I can answer over 80% of Jeopardy clues. I'm also a great conversationalist and can discuss a wide range of topics due to my education. Don't knock it.

2000s AH major here. I'm a champion conversationalist and am our firm's fixer to schmooze clients. I joke I majored in cocktail party.

that's awesome. I guess you could go into sales.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was an art history major in the 80's. The breadth of knowledge I gained from that major is incomparable-history, politics, religion, civilizations, etc. I can answer over 80% of Jeopardy clues. I'm also a great conversationalist and can discuss a wide range of topics due to my education. Don't knock it.

2000s AH major here. I'm a champion conversationalist and am our firm's fixer to schmooze clients. I joke I majored in cocktail party.

You're probably this way naturally. Your major had nothing to do with it. You could've majored in English, Bio, and you'd still be a schmoozer and slick salesman.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My daughter changed her major without telling us, she changed her major back 2 years ago. We never emailed the dean or anyone at the school because she was getting good grades and everything was going well. Now she is telling us in May she will be graduating in a degree in Art History, and she learned on Google that she might be able to get a job working as a Subway... What jobs can someone with a Art History BS get?

Totally depends on the school

Yale Art History could probably get a job at Subway

Or at Sotheby's

Completely depends on the connections.

It is definitely a field where networking is key. Did she have related internships? Has she developed a network (through jobs/alum/conferences)?

(If she did have internships, how were you not aware of her field? )

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was an art history major in the 80's. The breadth of knowledge I gained from that major is incomparable-history, politics, religion, civilizations, etc. I can answer over 80% of Jeopardy clues. I'm also a great conversationalist and can discuss a wide range of topics due to my education. Don't knock it.

You would make a conversationalist, no doubt, but most art history majors aren't getting a good paying job without a graduate degree, which means spending more money.

Art History phds, along with most other humanities and scientific phds, do not pay for grad school for the most part. PhD programs support the students with tuition remission and teaching stipends. It is certainly not a lot, between 30-40k a year, but you can live on it and you make further connections in grad school and gain experience teaching. I also did museum internships while in grad school.

My kid’s grad school stipend is only $24K (and her rent share is $1200 a month! 😳)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was an art history major in the 80's. The breadth of knowledge I gained from that major is incomparable-history, politics, religion, civilizations, etc. I can answer over 80% of Jeopardy clues. I'm also a great conversationalist and can discuss a wide range of topics due to my education. Don't knock it.

You would make a conversationalist, no doubt, but most art history majors aren't getting a good paying job without a graduate degree, which means spending more money.

Art History phds, along with most other humanities and scientific phds, do not pay for grad school for the most part. PhD programs support the students with tuition remission and teaching stipends. It is certainly not a lot, between 30-40k a year, but you can live on it and you make further connections in grad school and gain experience teaching. I also did museum internships while in grad school.

My kid’s grad school stipend is only $24K (and her rent share is $1200 a month! 😳)

When i got my MFA, that was my stipend per quarter. Does he get paid to TA on top of that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was an art history major in the 80's. The breadth of knowledge I gained from that major is incomparable-history, politics, religion, civilizations, etc. I can answer over 80% of Jeopardy clues. I'm also a great conversationalist and can discuss a wide range of topics due to my education. Don't knock it.

2000s AH major here. I'm a champion conversationalist and am our firm's fixer to schmooze clients. I joke I majored in cocktail party.

You're probably this way naturally. Your major had nothing to do with it. You could've majored in English, Bio, and you'd still be a schmoozer and slick salesman.

Which means that they got to enjoy majoring in AH because that was the right way for them to succeed in college and earn a BA. Nothing at all wrong with that!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was an art history major in the 80's. The breadth of knowledge I gained from that major is incomparable-history, politics, religion, civilizations, etc. I can answer over 80% of Jeopardy clues. I'm also a great conversationalist and can discuss a wide range of topics due to my education. Don't knock it.

2000s AH major here. I'm a champion conversationalist and am our firm's fixer to schmooze clients. I joke I majored in cocktail party.

You're probably this way naturally. Your major had nothing to do with it. You could've majored in English, Bio, and you'd still be a schmoozer and slick salesman.

Which means that they got to enjoy majoring in AH because that was the right way for them to succeed in college and earn a BA. Nothing at all wrong with that!

NP
I really identify with that Jeopardy queen/cocktail party pro/ professional conversationalist (things many people hate) and I was also AH major. It can't be coincidence that there's 3 of us in this thread corner of the net. I'd credit intensive research in any fields referenced in art researched, being multi-lingual, writing heavy classes coupled with gallery opening attendance as young adults. It's too intensive for the available jobs/pay (that are specific to AH major) but it sounds like an asset to other fields.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is she at an Ivy/SLAC where the prestige of the degree can carry her as a Liberal Arts generalist?

Does she write well?

Does she know how to operate websites and social media?

I would try advertising and communications specialties if she has good skills in these areas. Possibly work with a gallerist if she can live in a city that offers some of those jobs.

If you search "Art History" on this site, you will find threads where people argue over whether kids should get these degrees. In these threads, people who are pro-Art History give examples of possible jobs.

Is there any chance she could take additional education and become a secondary school history teacher?

Of course she can get a job. However with just a BA in Art History, it's not likely to be a job in that field--that requires a Masters or several internships where you often work for low pay or free. However there are tons of places that hire "anyone with a BA/BS". You just have to be open and flexible. And search a bit harder since it's not like "we want someone with a CS or Mech E degree" job listing.

[Anonymous]

My sister has an art history degree but works in cybersecurity.

[Anonymous]

My girlfriend long ago went heavy chemistry angle - got internship at museum in SF restoring ancient paintings. Makes incredible money now - mostly from trust fund families trying to restore Grandma above fireplace. But we are talking tippy top smart- Oxbridge level.

[Anonymous]

I know a woman in London with an Art History degree. She went to college as a mature student, aged 21 after a few years working and when she came out she took over her mother's business, a theatrical agency. She lives in a house worth north of 4 million pounds and lives the life of Riley.