Are you about to graduate with a liberal arts degree and want to know what to do next?
Despite what those with science and business backgrounds say, a liberal arts degree prepares you for a wide range of possible job opportunities in anything from literature to psychology.
Because it’s an umbrella category for such an array of different disciplines, you’re not restricted to one line of work once you graduate. This gives you a lot of freedom but also leaves you with a huge decision if you’re not married to one subject.
In this post, we’re going to look at some of the top jobs that you can get with a liberal arts major. Being able to focus your work on something that isn’t just a moneymaker is so important for your career path and mental health. Get a job that you’re going to love for years.
Read on and you’ll see that there is a place in the workforce for the important soft skills that you obtain as a liberal arts graduate.
1. Writing/Editing/Journalism
A degree in the liberal arts will provide you with great communication and writing skills. This is integral for a career in writing, editing, or journalism. These jobs are difficult to get without those aforementioned skills.
That being said, there’s an increasing need for copywriters in the digital marketing world. Blogging and content creation have risen to the forefront of advertising. Every company in every industry will benefit from a business blog to boost web presence and sales numbers.
There’s a lot of opportunity for those that want to freelance as they set their sites on a career in creative writing or journalism. There’s nothing easy about getting a novel published or landing a job with a top publication. It’s helpful to be able to supplement your income with blogging and content creation.
You’ll have to work your way up the ladder, but a journalist could make as much as $80,000. An editor could make $90,000 or more.
When it comes to writing, there’s a lot of uncertainty. If you write a bestseller, there’s no telling how much money you could bring in.
2. Teaching and Education
Being a school teacher at any level is a noble pursuit and one that can provide you with a very stable living. If you enjoy being around and mentoring young people, then this is undoubtedly one of the most rewarding careers that a liberal arts major can pursue.
There’s always a need for teachers, so job prospects will always be there, and the average salary is $57,000 for middle school teachers or $59,000 for high school teachers. You’ll have to complete a state-mandated teacher’s education program on top of your liberal arts degree, which will prepare you for the specific challenges that come with being a teacher.
Depending on where you’re looking for a job and its job prospects, you may have to start out by substitute teaching for anywhere from a few months to a few years. If you’re trying to get into a specific school board to teach a specific subject, you may have to sub for longer than if you take a job in any public school board.
3. Digital Marketing
We mentioned earlier how important digital marketing is in today’s business landscape, but writing isn’t the only job opportunity in this realm. Having a marketing degree can help with your job prospects, but those with a liberal arts degree and strong communication skills will be more than qualified for this career path.
The skills that you learn during your liberal arts program, whether it’s graphic design or creative writing, are incredibly valuable in the digital marketing world because creativity and communication are as important as technical know-how.
An understanding of social media and SEO will go a long way as well. These aren’t necessarily things that you’ll learn about during your degree, but things you utilize in your day-to-day that are becoming more valuable to small businesses.
There are thousands of digital marketing jobs out there now, making it one of the fastest-growing fields for young people entering the workforce. A career in digital marketing may have you earning in the $30,000 range for freelancers and entry-level positions, but there’s a lot of room for growth.
4. In the Arts
It’s not easy to become a successful artist, but it never has been. There are countless painters that are revered for their work today, who never saw a dime while they were alive and creating. That being said, there’s a lot more opportunity to generate income as an artistically minded person than ever before.
When you’re enrolled in a liberal arts program, you’re given everything you need to know for how to become a successful artist. Being in school will help to build routine and work ethic, as well as helping you to refine your artistic mind and style. Talent gets you part of the way, but there are a lot of other skills that separate successful artists from starving ones.
There are also more ways to display your art for people nowadays. With social media, you can build a huge online following without ever having an art show. It’s important to take the marketing side of being an artist seriously and this is something else that a degree in liberal arts can help you with.
Monetizing your art can come through networking over social media. Companies are always looking to work with young artists to promote products and boost branding. If you can build up your profile, you can actually make a great living while doing the thing that you love.
Follow Your Heart With a Liberal Arts Degree
Some might tell you that a liberal arts degree will lead to underemployment and a life of struggle, but those people have never been more wrong. As you can see, the arts are thriving in the digital age, so you can follow your heart and achieve your dreams while making a great living.
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