Liberal-arts majors often trail their peers in terms of salary early on, but the divide tends to narrow or even disappear as careers progress
This is unique to liberal arts majors?
The headline of this article should be rephrased:
Good News Liberal-Arts Majors: Your Peers Probably Won’t Outearn You Forever, unless you’re in the 90%
@PrimeMeridian - Stating that one group of people do something well does not exclude others from doing that same thing well. For instance, if I say I like apples because they are sweet and crunchy that doesn’t say anything about liking food that isn’t sweet and crunchy. An affirmative statement that says a person likes hiring LA majors because they are good at certain things does not mean that the speaker is making any statement at all against other majors. It means exactly what the speaker says. Nothing more. Nothing less.
My oldest son was a double LA major (Math/Economics). He is employed in a job with good future prospects. He makes a bit less money than some of his fraternity brothers who graduated with engineering degrees. He does make enough to afford his own apartment, car, vacations, savings, etc.
I wouldn’t encourage my kids to major in something just so they can get one good job. That just seems like a waste of time and money. My middle son is a music major. He intends to work in the sports industry. He is building his resume with internships and summer jobs in the sports industry. Liberal Arts does mean taking lower paying jobs early on but does not doom people to be low earners forever.
I studied English Literature, with significant coursework in Philo, Religion, and Studio Art (no minors at my alma m.), and found that the skills I developed in those disciplines served me well in the working world. I was good at every job I ever had and was rewarded and promoted frequently. I’ve since settled into education–where my heart is–and the same has been true.