Liberal Arts / General Studies degree: salary, jobs & colleges
Bachelor's graduates in liberal arts / general studies earn a median $52,601 four years after finishing, across 467 U.S. colleges. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in liberal arts earn $48,881, $13,168 less than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is elementary and middle school teachers (7%).
Median across 467 colleges; middle half $46,783–$58,219.
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $31,024–$71,364. 4,004 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "Liberal Arts"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$13,243/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs liberal arts / general studies graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in liberal arts actually do, with U.S. wages and the outlook for each job. The first column comes from the Census survey; wages and growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Job | Share of graduates | U.S. median wage | Jobs growth 2025-35 | Typical entry | Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary And Middle School Teachers | 7% | $64,170 | -0.4% | — | — |
| Other Managers | 2% | — | — | — | — |
| Customer Service Representatives | 2% | $44,770 | -5.3% | High school diploma or equivalent | CES |
| Teaching Assistants | 2% | $37,010 | +0.0% | — | — |
| Secondary School Teachers | 2% | $70,930 | -0.2% | — | — |
| Secretaries And Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, And Executive | 2% | $47,540 | -6.0% | High school diploma or equivalent | CES |
| Human Resources Workers | 2% | $76,700 | +6.1% | — | — |
| First-Line Supervisors Of Retail Sales Workers | 2% | $48,520 | -3.7% | High school diploma or equivalent | ECS |
These 8 jobs account for 21% of employed graduates: people with this degree spread across many kinds of work.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, bachelor's as highest degree, employed); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; O*NET 31.0 interest codes (R realistic, I investigative, A artistic, S social, E enterprising, C conventional).
Liberal Arts / General Studies earnings by state
Two views of pay: recent graduates of the state's colleges four years out (College Scorecard), and everyone ages 25-34 living in the state with this field of degree (Census). States show a figure only with at least 3 colleges or 100 survey respondents.
| State | Graduates, 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $44,742 (6) | — |
| Arizona | $59,104 (3) | — |
| Arkansas | $45,258 (10) | — |
| California | $57,642 (44) | $54,572 (744) |
| Colorado | $44,080 (4) | — |
| Connecticut | $60,092 (14) | — |
| Florida | $51,660 (14) | $47,436 (163) |
| Georgia | $48,418 (10) | — |
| Idaho | $43,444 (5) | — |
| Illinois | $55,944 (15) | $48,881 (148) |
| Indiana | $51,349 (19) | $43,656 (153) |
| Iowa | $54,855 (8) | — |
| Kansas | $50,717 (7) | — |
| Kentucky | $44,126 (8) | — |
| Louisiana | $45,340 (10) | $46,177 (167) |
| Maine | $48,575 (4) | — |
| Maryland | $54,614 (6) | — |
| Massachusetts | $52,887 (16) | — |
| Michigan | $53,167 (12) | — |
| Mississippi | $41,853 (6) | — |
| Missouri | $47,696 (13) | $39,102 (109) |
| New Jersey | $58,056 (14) | $68,216 (120) |
| New Mexico | $45,821 (4) | — |
| New York | $61,359 (25) | $57,721 (332) |
| North Carolina | $46,146 (13) | — |
| North Dakota | $49,856 (4) | — |
| Ohio | $53,206 (26) | — |
| Oklahoma | $44,123 (11) | — |
| Oregon | $56,074 (4) | — |
| Pennsylvania | $58,195 (24) | $54,742 (103) |
| South Carolina | $39,482 (6) | — |
| Tennessee | $48,488 (10) | — |
| Texas | $53,758 (26) | $50,762 (395) |
| Utah | $54,147 (5) | — |
| Virginia | $52,060 (12) | — |
| Washington | $46,844 (9) | — |
| West Virginia | $48,090 (12) | — |
| Wisconsin | $53,631 (9) | — |
College Scorecard field of study (median of each college's graduates); Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; EducationGuide calculations.
Colleges where liberal arts / general studies graduates earn the most
In the states we cover so far (Florida, Virginia, California): 40 in Florida, 26 in Virginia, 65 in California offer this major. Open a college to see cost to finish and payback for your income.
| # | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saint Mary's College of CaliforniaCA | $68,501 | $27,000 |
| 2 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoCA | $68,171 | $17,500 |
| 3 | Ave Maria UniversityFL | $67,139 | — |
| 4 | Dominican University of CaliforniaCA | $65,780 | — |
| 5 | University of California-RiversideCA | $62,211 | $16,436 |
| 6 | California State University-Dominguez HillsCA | $62,164 | $15,453 |
| 7 | Loyola Marymount UniversityCA | $62,148 | — |
| 8 | Westmont CollegeCA | $61,939 | $19,500 |
| 9 | George Mason UniversityVA | $61,100 | $24,500 |
| 10 | California Lutheran UniversityCA | $60,806 | $21,897 |
| 11 | California State University-Long BeachCA | $60,019 | $15,500 |
| 12 | California State University-Los AngelesCA | $59,904 | $15,171 |
College Scorecard field of study. Colleges meeting our core-data standard; online campuses left out.
Related degrees
Liberal Arts / General Studies degree questions
How much do Liberal Arts / General Studies graduates make?
Liberal Arts / General Studies graduates earn a median $52,601 four years after finishing, across 467 U.S. colleges that report it (the middle half of colleges: $46,783 to $58,219; College Scorecard, graduates who received federal aid). Among all workers ages 25-34 whose bachelor's degree is in liberal arts, the median is $48,881 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is a Liberal Arts / General Studies degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in liberal arts earn a median $48,881: $13,168 less than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $13,243 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Liberal Arts / General Studies graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in liberal arts, the most common jobs are elementary and middle school teachers (7%), other managers (2%), customer service representatives (2%). Elementary And Middle School Teachers earn a U.S. median $64,170.
How much do Liberal Arts / General Studies graduates earn in Florida?
Across 14 Florida colleges reporting, Liberal Arts / General Studies graduates earn a median $51,660 four years after graduating; at ages 25-34, Floridians with this field of degree earn $47,436.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey microdata; Bureau of Labor Statistics; O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all degrees
Cite this: “Liberal Arts / General Studies degree: salary, jobs and colleges,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/degrees/liberal-arts-general-studies.