The $ value of a degree in Art History
On January 30th, during a speech in Waukesha, Wisconsin, President Obama encouraged individuals to search out reliable income by entering the manufacturing industry. “Manufacturing jobs typically pay well. We want to encourage more of them.” And while people don’t usually think of the skilled trades as the path to a lucrative career, Obama noted, those working in the manufacturing industry can probably earn more “than they might with an art history degree.”
We hear that a lot, but is it true? An article in the Wall Street Journal argues that it may take them a little more time, but in the end, graduates with liberal arts degrees earn what their peers earn in professional and pre-professional studies. In fact, at their peak earning years of 50-60, they earn more than these counterparts. This article is based on a report by the Association of American Colleges and Universities which compares the earning difference between students in the humanities and social sciences to students earning a professional degree to a 50-yard dash versus a marathon.
Read the Washington Post article on Obama’s comments and listen to Obama’s remarks.
Read the Wall Street Journal Article
Chronicle of Higher Ed discussion article on the AACU report
Association of American Colleges and Universities’ “New Report on Liberal Arts Majors and Employment”
Read the College Arts Association response to Obama’s comments
