Why Employers Often Undervalue the Skills a Liberal Arts Education Actually Builds

You've probably heard it from your parents, your friends, an aunt who never worries about voicing family opinion at dinner. Why get an English degree? You could read books in your own time. Major in something that will get you a job. You want to tell them that liberal arts and humanities degrees teach genuinely valuable skills: research, critical thinking, writing and communication.

But there is something to what they are saying. Liberal arts and humanities degrees simply don't register on the list of most valuable bachelor's degrees.

Why are employers underestimating the value of this kind of education, and is it really worth your time? Let's get into it.

Why Employers Fail to Appreciate Liberal Arts Degrees

The main reason that an employer might be less interested in a liberal arts degree than in one that is more occupationally focused is simply a matter of alignment. The hypothetical English major from our introduction likely has many of the skills that would make them good at advertising or marketing.

But why would a potential employer gravitate towards them when there are candidates with actual degrees in advertising and marketing? Most businesses want people who can take to the tasks required of them.

It's not precisely that someone with a liberal arts degree is thought to be incapable of doing the job. It's more that it's easier to imagine how other candidates applying for the same position might be able to do it better.

None of this is to say that liberal arts degrees don't communicate, or don't create genuinely valuable professional skills. They do. They're just skills that are harder to prove on a resume.

How can you verify your empathy or your critical thinking skills? Or even your abilities with written communication? In the world of professional employment, it's simply easier to go with the candidate who checks more boxes.

Are Liberal Arts Degrees Worthwhile?

This does introduce a compelling question. If occupationally specific degrees translate into more and better job opportunities, is there any reason at all to even consider a liberal arts curriculum?

To start, it helps to consider the long-term career outcomes for people with a liberal arts degree. For many years now, STEM-related educational backgrounds have been highly touted as the best place to direct your academic efforts if you want high-paying work in a high-demand field.

But if you're not a STEM person, you're not a STEM person. Surely there is room in the world for people who like books, communication, reading and writing, right?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists liberal arts holders as commanding a median salary of $60,000, with approximately 54% of them working in fields that require a bachelor's degree.

The picture in this case is not a definitive one. These are the sort of numbers you can look at and draw one of two conclusions. The first of them is one that is getting touted more and more often.

If you are considering going to college, it should be with a specific career in mind. In other words, get an advertising degree, get a degree in engineering, get a nursing or education certification.

Don't go just to get a college degree, trusting that this is the best use of your time and money. In the professional context, it simply isn't always the case.

We see that in the fact that almost half of liberal arts graduates don't even need a degree for the job that they are working. That said, the other half of them do.

There are some positions that require a liberal arts or humanities degree. Many of them involve working in an academic context. That said, not many jobs require only English majors to apply.

All of that being said, there is another half to the conversation. Some people want to go to college even though they don't have a specific career path in mind.

They know they're not going to go to trade school, nor are they ready to enter the workforce. And these things being the case, college feels like the most logical next step.

If you fall into this category, rest assured that there are still absolutely valuable skills you can acquire from a liberal arts degree.

What Skills Do Liberal Arts Degrees Teach?

Most liberal arts degrees have a focus on reading, thinking, researching, writing, and communicating. Basically, they lay the foundation for strong critical thinking and communication, both skills that have natural applications to the vast majority of jobs.

If you are going to major in a liberal arts degree, it's important to be able to communicate these skills to an employer. Ideally, you'll express them in your resume, but also have some kind of work history or extracurricular involvement that solidifies these abilities in a way that feels tangible to an HR recruiter.

For example, leading a club or student-led organization. It's also great if you can get a good internship while you're still in school.

These arrangements, often more than other factors, are important for creating employment opportunities and establishing valuable connections. There's an old adage that it's not what you know, but who you know.

While there may be some truth to that, it's best to know stuff and people. That's the approach you're taking here.

Making a Liberal Arts Degree Work for You in 2026

If you haven't fully grasped this yet, we are absolutely in support of modern college students considering a liberal arts degree path. That said, at a time where student loan debt is out of hand and the overall value of any college degree has been called into serious question, it is worth wondering if a liberal arts degree is the best use of your time and money.

As we've expressed earlier, the potential return is genuinely high for the right person. You've just got to focus on developing job-ready skills in a resume that communicates your value as an aspiring professional.