The number of bachelor’s degrees awarded in the liberal arts has fallen to a 30-year low, according to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. In 2024, the latest period for which data are available, the number of liberal arts degrees awarded was 30 percent below the peak in 2012.
Students have been choosing majors in subjects they consider tied directly to careers, including business, management, and health professions. Graduates who majored in humanities and social sciences tend to believe they’re at a disadvantage, with fewer than one in five thinking their educations are directly relevant to their careers.
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Future of Liberal Arts
Technical skills are less important, coming in sixth out of 20 kinds of attributes employers say they want.
This is a significant return on investment, and demonstrates the long-term value of a liberal arts education.
