Types of jobs for liberal arts majors

[Anonymous]

For people of certain mentalities, math/science jobs are the only “real” ones because they have “right answers” so everything else is underwater basket weaving and unnecessary for the functioning of society.

Probably just a coincidence that these disciplines/professions are OVERWHELMINGLY White and Male.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a number of librarians making $150,000 a year approximately. But this is requires an advanced degree in library science/information science.

so, again, you need an advanced degree to get a good paying job if you major in some liberal arts in undergrad.

If you plan to into a real profession, you can’t get into it without grad school. And you wont get into grad school from a two year trade school or school of secretarial science unless your some kind of diamond in the rough and you have a sponsor.

I think the vision here is you get a STEM degree (NO LIBERAL ARTS) and somehow go your entire career without any further education or training, you just code for $300k a year forever at Google.

Every serious engineer I’ve ever met has at a minimum a Masters (many have two, or a PhD), any top corporate manager has an MBA, government officials are SMEs with subject area Masters or have a MPA/MPP, what is the high prestige/high pay career where a BS in Computer Science is the terminal degree?

I guess “startup founder” but you don’t even need a BA for that, and 99.9% of those aren’t the next Facebook or Google, so what exactly is the plan here?

getting paid $300K is nothing to sneeze at, even better with no loans for advanced degrees and work/life balance.

You can easily get a six figure job with an undergrad in majors like CS and engineering without a masters.

If one wants to major in liberal arts, they should go into it with eyes wide open, namely that, chances are, 1. you won't be able to find a job that pays enough to live independently or 2. you'll need an advanced degree (and for many, that means taking out loans) to get a decent paying job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For people of certain mentalities, math/science jobs are the only “real” ones because they have “right answers” so everything else is underwater basket weaving and unnecessary for the functioning of society.

Probably just a coincidence that these disciplines/professions are OVERWHELMINGLY White and Male.

STEM fields are usually harder. That's why engineers get paid a lot more. Typically, the harder the subject, the more the pay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a number of librarians making $150,000 a year approximately. But this is requires an advanced degree in library science/information science.

so, again, you need an advanced degree to get a good paying job if you major in some liberal arts in undergrad.

If you plan to into a real profession, you can’t get into it without grad school. And you wont get into grad school from a two year trade school or school of secretarial science unless your some kind of diamond in the rough and you have a sponsor.

I think the vision here is you get a STEM degree (NO LIBERAL ARTS) and somehow go your entire career without any further education or training, you just code for $300k a year forever at Google.

Every serious engineer I’ve ever met has at a minimum a Masters (many have two, or a PhD), any top corporate manager has an MBA, government officials are SMEs with subject area Masters or have a MPA/MPP, what is the high prestige/high pay career where a BS in Computer Science is the terminal degree?

I guess “startup founder” but you don’t even need a BA for that, and 99.9% of those aren’t the next Facebook or Google, so what exactly is the plan here?

Many corporate STEM folks I know with a Masters or higher get sponsored by their companies. While technically you are correct (no pun intended), I don't get the sense that the company would have thrown them out on the street if they declined. Just a different scenario when a company is footing the bill / continuing to pay you while you get your advanced degree vs. having to get an advanced degree (especially an MBA or law degree).

[Anonymous]

Successful book and magazine editor. The salary wasn't high, but it came with a lot of perks that made the $$ more such as free travel; free tickets to theater, gallery shows, etc; parties; swag (think clothing, jewelry, beauty products). Plus it was unbelievably fulfilling and worthwhile. There's a lot more to jobs than just the straight up salary. Also, you don't have to do the same thing forever. Things lead to other things. Factor that in to the liberal arts education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a number of librarians making $150,000 a year approximately. But this is requires an advanced degree in library science/information science.

so, again, you need an advanced degree to get a good paying job if you major in some liberal arts in undergrad.

If you plan to into a real profession, you can’t get into it without grad school. And you wont get into grad school from a two year trade school or school of secretarial science unless your some kind of diamond in the rough and you have a sponsor.

I think the vision here is you get a STEM degree (NO LIBERAL ARTS) and somehow go your entire career without any further education or training, you just code for $300k a year forever at Google.

Every serious engineer I’ve ever met has at a minimum a Masters (many have two, or a PhD), any top corporate manager has an MBA, government officials are SMEs with subject area Masters or have a MPA/MPP, what is the high prestige/high pay career where a BS in Computer Science is the terminal degree?

I guess “startup founder” but you don’t even need a BA for that, and 99.9% of those aren’t the next Facebook or Google, so what exactly is the plan here?

getting paid $300K is nothing to sneeze at, even better with no loans for advanced degrees and work/life balance.

You can easily get a six figure job with an undergrad in majors like CS and engineering without a masters.

If one wants to major in liberal arts, they should go into it with eyes wide open, namely that, chances are, 1. you won't be able to find a job that pays enough to live independently or 2. you'll need an advanced degree (and for many, that means taking out loans) to get a decent paying job.

As long as you are 26 forever this is a great plan, what happens when you are 46 and the boss is asking why haven’t you kept up to date with your degrees and sorry the job needs a Masters now. Best of luck with your future endeavors.

If you have a lib arts undergrad degree and are smart you don’t pay for grad school. Academics get funded through postdoc. Your company should be paying for your MBA/MPA.

Only Lawyers and Physicians pay big out of pocket.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For people of certain mentalities, math/science jobs are the only “real” ones because they have “right answers” so everything else is underwater basket weaving and unnecessary for the functioning of society.

Probably just a coincidence that these disciplines/professions are OVERWHELMINGLY White and Male.

YES.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a number of librarians making $150,000 a year approximately. But this is requires an advanced degree in library science/information science.

so, again, you need an advanced degree to get a good paying job if you major in some liberal arts in undergrad.

If you plan to into a real profession, you can’t get into it without grad school. And you wont get into grad school from a two year trade school or school of secretarial science unless your some kind of diamond in the rough and you have a sponsor.

I think the vision here is you get a STEM degree (NO LIBERAL ARTS) and somehow go your entire career without any further education or training, you just code for $300k a year forever at Google.

Every serious engineer I’ve ever met has at a minimum a Masters (many have two, or a PhD), any top corporate manager has an MBA, government officials are SMEs with subject area Masters or have a MPA/MPP, what is the high prestige/high pay career where a BS in Computer Science is the terminal degree?

I guess “startup founder” but you don’t even need a BA for that, and 99.9% of those aren’t the next Facebook or Google, so what exactly is the plan here?

getting paid $300K is nothing to sneeze at, even better with no loans for advanced degrees and work/life balance.

You can easily get a six figure job with an undergrad in majors like CS and engineering without a masters.

If one wants to major in liberal arts, they should go into it with eyes wide open, namely that, chances are, 1. you won't be able to find a job that pays enough to live independently or 2. you'll need an advanced degree (and for many, that means taking out loans) to get a decent paying job.

As long as you are 26 forever this is a great plan, what happens when you are 46 and the boss is asking why haven’t you kept up to date with your degrees and sorry the job needs a Masters now. Best of luck with your future endeavors.

If you have a lib arts undergrad degree and are smart you don’t pay for grad school. Academics get funded through postdoc. Your company should be paying for your MBA/MPA.

Only Lawyers and Physicians pay big out of pocket.

A google search says 60% of Fortune 1000 C-suite execs and 64% of CTOs have only a bachelors degree. In fact, only 26% of CTOs have a Masters or Phd, while 7% have just an Associates degree and 3% have other.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a number of librarians making $150,000 a year approximately. But this is requires an advanced degree in library science/information science.

so, again, you need an advanced degree to get a good paying job if you major in some liberal arts in undergrad.

If you plan to into a real profession, you can’t get into it without grad school. And you wont get into grad school from a two year trade school or school of secretarial science unless your some kind of diamond in the rough and you have a sponsor.

I think the vision here is you get a STEM degree (NO LIBERAL ARTS) and somehow go your entire career without any further education or training, you just code for $300k a year forever at Google.

Every serious engineer I’ve ever met has at a minimum a Masters (many have two, or a PhD), any top corporate manager has an MBA, government officials are SMEs with subject area Masters or have a MPA/MPP, what is the high prestige/high pay career where a BS in Computer Science is the terminal degree?

I guess “startup founder” but you don’t even need a BA for that, and 99.9% of those aren’t the next Facebook or Google, so what exactly is the plan here?

NOPE, I don't think you are familiar with the field.
You don't need a Mater's degree to move up to Lead engineer, Project manager, Systems architecture, CIO, Director, Vice President, etc.
It's a nice to have thing but not necessary.
I got my Master's paid by my company.
It was a part of benefit.

[Anonymous]

Engineering is one of the few exceptions. That’s why it’s so hard and why so many people take 5 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can only say about my DS and DD, both graduated from Ivies with liberal arts degrees and they are not making a lot of money.  One is still living at home with us four years after graduation.  The other one is living with a roommate because she can't afford to have a place of her own.  You can take it FWIW.

Thanks for your honesty.

I think now a days, a general liberal arts degree is way less marketable than even 10 years ago. A lot of people on this forum went to college 10+ years ago, and the landscape of the job market has changed since then.

There's a reason why so many colleges are getting rid of English and other liberal arts majors.

I'm the ex-microsoft person. I think this can be true, but I think we do a disservice by not educating people about how various big firms work these days whereas we spend too much time talking about college admissions. It's the old "think more about the marriage than the wedding" advice.

I've mentored maybe 200 teens and young adults. It's amazing to me how many have granular knowledge about colleges: can weigh various aspects of admissions, understand where you can or cannot switch disciplines once you've arrived, can parse the COA numbers by adjusting what their personal travel costs will be vs published. They have DCUM-level knowledge on some of this. But for jobs .. they just take anything. Or they self-select out - "I don't have those skills". I got an email yesterday from a woman who graduated with a humanities degree three years ago (English, I think? Maybe philosophy?). She had a vision of the kind of job she wanted, but didn't see how she could get there. We discussed various options - building skills at this less desirable company, getting certification, etc. I pushed an idea of taking a different job at a One Specific Big Giant company with lots of opportunity. I had to explain it to her in college admissions speak - this place will let you in as an English major and allow you to switch to Business. Some places won't, this one will. So instead of getting an entry level job in her area at Okay company, she could get a totally different job at Big Giant company. She was dubious, but did it (she got an event planning role) and three years later, this week, she's pivoting into the area she wants at the company she wants. Naturally, a couple years in she shifted what her dream job was very slightly. Even then, she said "it's like I'm changing my major". It's still all college speak!. Also, she's been making pretty good money the entire time.

idk.. but a lot of the algorithm used by recruiters look for specific majors.

In any case, per the OP, most jobs for liberal arts majors with just an undergrad don't make much.

1. An liberal arts major just fine for event planning first job

2. Algorithm has work arounds, ie typing in white.

[Anonymous]

Plan to spend more $$ and time for grad school?

How many humanities majors get into funded programs.

LOL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a number of librarians making $150,000 a year approximately. But this is requires an advanced degree in library science/information science.

so, again, you need an advanced degree to get a good paying job if you major in some liberal arts in undergrad.

If you plan to into a real profession, you can’t get into it without grad school. And you wont get into grad school from a two year trade school or school of secretarial science unless your some kind of diamond in the rough and you have a sponsor.

I think the vision here is you get a STEM degree (NO LIBERAL ARTS) and somehow go your entire career without any further education or training, you just code for $300k a year forever at Google.

Every serious engineer I’ve ever met has at a minimum a Masters (many have two, or a PhD), any top corporate manager has an MBA, government officials are SMEs with subject area Masters or have a MPA/MPP, what is the high prestige/high pay career where a BS in Computer Science is the terminal degree?

I guess “startup founder” but you don’t even need a BA for that, and 99.9% of those aren’t the next Facebook or Google, so what exactly is the plan here?

getting paid $300K is nothing to sneeze at, even better with no loans for advanced degrees and work/life balance.

You can easily get a six figure job with an undergrad in majors like CS and engineering without a masters.

If one wants to major in liberal arts, they should go into it with eyes wide open, namely that, chances are, 1. you won't be able to find a job that pays enough to live independently or 2. you'll need an advanced degree (and for many, that means taking out loans) to get a decent paying job.

As long as you are 26 forever this is a great plan, what happens when you are 46 and the boss is asking why haven’t you kept up to date with your degrees and sorry the job needs a Masters now. Best of luck with your future endeavors.

If you have a lib arts undergrad degree and are smart you don’t pay for grad school. Academics get funded through postdoc. Your company should be paying for your MBA/MPA.

Only Lawyers and Physicians pay big out of pocket.

DH is almost 60, and still getting paid six figures. He has been making six figures for a few decades, and with zero loans, he was able to save a ton for retirement and will be able to retire soon.

I also worked in the tech field but moved to a PM field in tech making six figures for a few decades. I'll also be able to retire in my 50s. No loans, not a liberal arts major with only an undergrad degree from a cheapo state u. We both wfh and have done so precovid.

Lots of lawyers take out ridiculous amounts of loans, have no work/life balance but cannot afford to quit early even if they make a lot because they have a ton of student loans.

Most people in CS who have longevity are in the field because they are good at what they do. There is not much burnout in CS fields; there seems to be a ton of lawyers burning out.

As for doctors, absolutely we need more of them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can only say about my DS and DD, both graduated from Ivies with liberal arts degrees and they are not making a lot of money.  One is still living at home with us four years after graduation.  The other one is living with a roommate because she can't afford to have a place of her own.  You can take it FWIW.

Thanks for your honesty.

I think now a days, a general liberal arts degree is way less marketable than even 10 years ago. A lot of people on this forum went to college 10+ years ago, and the landscape of the job market has changed since then.

There's a reason why so many colleges are getting rid of English and other liberal arts majors.

I'm the ex-microsoft person. I think this can be true, but I think we do a disservice by not educating people about how various big firms work these days whereas we spend too much time talking about college admissions. It's the old "think more about the marriage than the wedding" advice.

I've mentored maybe 200 teens and young adults. It's amazing to me how many have granular knowledge about colleges: can weigh various aspects of admissions, understand where you can or cannot switch disciplines once you've arrived, can parse the COA numbers by adjusting what their personal travel costs will be vs published. They have DCUM-level knowledge on some of this. But for jobs .. they just take anything. Or they self-select out - "I don't have those skills". I got an email yesterday from a woman who graduated with a humanities degree three years ago (English, I think? Maybe philosophy?). She had a vision of the kind of job she wanted, but didn't see how she could get there. We discussed various options - building skills at this less desirable company, getting certification, etc. I pushed an idea of taking a different job at a One Specific Big Giant company with lots of opportunity. I had to explain it to her in college admissions speak - this place will let you in as an English major and allow you to switch to Business. Some places won't, this one will. So instead of getting an entry level job in her area at Okay company, she could get a totally different job at Big Giant company. She was dubious, but did it (she got an event planning role) and three years later, this week, she's pivoting into the area she wants at the company she wants. Naturally, a couple years in she shifted what her dream job was very slightly. Even then, she said "it's like I'm changing my major". It's still all college speak!. Also, she's been making pretty good money the entire time.

idk.. but a lot of the algorithm used by recruiters look for specific majors.

In any case, per the OP, most jobs for liberal arts majors with just an undergrad don't make much.

1. An liberal arts major just fine for event planning first job

2. Algorithm has work arounds, ie typing in white.

Job pays squat. Why get a degree for that little pay? You're better off going to trade school. It's especially not worth it if you took out loans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a number of librarians making $150,000 a year approximately. But this is requires an advanced degree in library science/information science.

so, again, you need an advanced degree to get a good paying job if you major in some liberal arts in undergrad.

If you plan to into a real profession, you can’t get into it without grad school. And you wont get into grad school from a two year trade school or school of secretarial science unless your some kind of diamond in the rough and you have a sponsor.

I think the vision here is you get a STEM degree (NO LIBERAL ARTS) and somehow go your entire career without any further education or training, you just code for $300k a year forever at Google.

Every serious engineer I’ve ever met has at a minimum a Masters (many have two, or a PhD), any top corporate manager has an MBA, government officials are SMEs with subject area Masters or have a MPA/MPP, what is the high prestige/high pay career where a BS in Computer Science is the terminal degree?

I guess “startup founder” but you don’t even need a BA for that, and 99.9% of those aren’t the next Facebook or Google, so what exactly is the plan here?

getting paid $300K is nothing to sneeze at, even better with no loans for advanced degrees and work/life balance.

You can easily get a six figure job with an undergrad in majors like CS and engineering without a masters.

If one wants to major in liberal arts, they should go into it with eyes wide open, namely that, chances are, 1. you won't be able to find a job that pays enough to live independently or 2. you'll need an advanced degree (and for many, that means taking out loans) to get a decent paying job.

As long as you are 26 forever this is a great plan, what happens when you are 46 and the boss is asking why haven’t you kept up to date with your degrees and sorry the job needs a Masters now. Best of luck with your future endeavors.

If you have a lib arts undergrad degree and are smart you don’t pay for grad school. Academics get funded through postdoc. Your company should be paying for your MBA/MPA.

Only Lawyers and Physicians pay big out of pocket.

There are many better ways to keep up in the Tech fields than Master's degree.
LOL