What Can You Do With a Liberal Arts Degree?
Key Takeaways
- Liberal arts graduates can explore job opportunities that may include human resource specialists, training and development specialists, and public relations experts, among others.
- Liberal arts graduates have a diverse skill set, which is an asset to many employers.
- A liberal arts degree equips you with transferable skills that can benefit you in a range of career paths.
After a bachelor’s in liberal arts, most students find themselves at the crossroads of choosing a professional path. Career options, employment potential, job openings, and their respective pay scales are common concerns of bachelors.
If you’re wondering what you can do with a liberal arts degree, we’ve outlined several paths you can take and careers that might interest you.
What can you do with a liberal arts degree?
You can explore many career paths with a liberal arts degree. Some of the common career options include human resource specialists, training and development specialists, public relations experts, and advertising sales representatives.
You can also become a journalist, technical writer, high school teacher, or an editor with a liberal arts degree. Many employers welcome liberal arts students due to their diverse skill sets, which aids in maintaining a healthy work environment.
If you have a degree, it’s high time to explore the diverse career options that come with it. We have listed the six most lucrative yet easily accessible career paths that every bachelor should consider.
Human Resource Specialist
A human resource specialist deals with hiring employees for a company office. They are adept in identifying talent, matching their skills with the job requirements, interviewing them, and handling the onboarding process.
HR experts also monitor employee performance, deal with conflicts, manage attendance and salary disbursement, and evaluate the training and hiring needs of the business. They are savvy in communication skills, making them a go-to person for discussing employee issues.
A diploma in HR or a bachelor’s degree is sufficient to enter HR. However, for a managerial position, having a master’s degree in human resources or international business will work best. Certifications are optional; however, popular ones like AIHR and SMHR-CP can be undertaken to distinguish yourself from competing candidates.
- Annual Salary: $69,020
- Job Growth Rate: 6%
- Average Job Openings per year: 78,700
- Reputed University for Higher Education: Georgia Southwestern State University
Training and Development Specialist
Considering the fast-growing IT sector and AI revolution, it has become mandatory for organizations to train and educate their employees to adapt to the growing demands. The training and development specialists assist in identifying the learning needs of employees and curate training material for them according to their skill level and job requirements.
To become a training and development specialist, you must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in training and development subject or related topics like psychology, education, or business. There are numerous online bachelor’s degree in business programs that can be in about three years.
While having certifications to your name is not mandatory, they can solidify your portfolio. You can undertake certifications like CPLP and CPTD to gain an advanced understanding of the learning and training field.
- Annual Salary: $59,711
- Job Growth Rate: 6%
- Average Job Openings per year: 35,400
- Reputed University for Higher Education: University of New Hampshire
Customer Service Specialist
A customer support representative is needed in almost every business to handle customer concerns and problems. They assist customers in solving purchase issues, handling post-purchase queries, and dealing with other technical problems that may arise due to software and internet malfunctioning.
A bachelor’s degree is enough to become a customer support specialist. It’s recommended to do the NVQ Customer Support Diploma to gain advanced level knowledge in customer service.
- Annual Salary: $62,046
- Job Growth Rate: -5%
- Average Job Openings per year: 373,400
- Reputed University for Higher Education: California State University Bakersfield
Graphic Designer
Graphic designers work with visual psychology and technical design aspects to craft compelling brands. They develop a consistent visual theme throughout the marketing channels of a business by aligning font size and shape, color theme, and layouts.
There are no specific prerequisites to become a graphic designer. You can learn graphic design from online courses. Some popular graphic design courses are Calarts Graphic Design Specialization and Google UX design courses, which are easily available on Coursera.
However, if you want to go deeper with your education in graphic design, there are a number of online associate degree programs as well as numerous top-ranked online bachelor’s degree programs in graphic design.
- Annual Salary: $58,257
- Job Growth Rate: 3% (2022-2032)
- Average Job Openings per year: 22,800
- University for Higher Education: Arkansas State University
High School Teacher
One of the popular options for liberal arts graduates is to enter the education field. As the students have studied a diverse range of general topics, it equips them with extensive general knowledge and teaching skills. They can teach elementary to high school students in the subject of their specialization.
To become a high school teacher, you must have at least a bachelor’s degree in the subject you plan to teach. You must undertake a teacher education program if the degree doesn’t include a teaching element. All states require a license for working in public schools, for which you must pass the Praxis exam.
- Annual Salary: $59,249
- Job Growth Rate: 1%
- Average Job Openings per year: 67,100
- Reputed University for Higher Education: Fort Hays State University
Technical Writer
Technical writers turn complex processes and software into easy-to-understand content. They work with subject matter experts to create a thorough documentation and instructions manual for the audience to understand a product or procedure. They usually work in the fields of business, finance, and IT.
There are no specific requirements to become a technical writer. However, many employers prefer a minimum bachelor’s degree. You can learn technical writing via online courses offered by MOOC platforms like Coursera, Udemy, or LinkedIn Learning.
- Annual Salary: $63,432
- Job Growth Rate: 7%
- Average Job Openings per year: 4,800
- Institute for Higher Education: University of Houston
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Related Questions
What are the liberal arts careers that pay well?
Some of the prominent career options that can potentially pay you well include human resource specialists, technical writers, and public relations experts. High school teachers, psychologists, and social workers also secure decent payouts.
What are the most popular majors at liberal arts colleges?
Some of the majors at Liberal Arts College include psychology and public relations. You can also go for English, History, and Political Science with it.
Is a liberal arts degree worth it?
Overall, a liberal arts degree is considered a decent option. However, a consensus is that this degree equips you with transferable skills that can benefit you in a range of career paths, unlike specialized studies, which restrict you to a specific career path.
Students can take any of these career paths to enhance their career prospects. Equipped with diverse skills and extensive general knowledge, a degree in liberal arts can transform your career, allowing you to nurture your creative talent and channel it effectively.
