Too many opinion pieces on the Internet scream their headlines without any room for an opposing viewpoint. There is a vicious debate on liberal arts, and in many facets: they’re useful or they’re obsolete. They’re worth the huge investment or they’re a complete waste of your money, get it together, kids, college is expensive!!!! You’re either for the liberal arts or you’re for STEM – and you had best believe that there is tension between these groups of students.
When inundated with this type of rhetoric it is important to consider the multiple aspects of the issue. The value of a liberal arts degree today is not something black or white; it is as complex as the subjects it covers, and should be viewed as such.
A liberal arts education trains students to problem solve in a variety of contexts. Being exposed to a variety of subjects ensures students will develop a variety of useful skills. Written and verbal communication, critical thinking, foreign language, and people skills are just a few of the strengths of the liberal arts student. When pitted against technical skills in the false dichotomy of “liberal arts vs. STEM” (hint: they are in fact overlapping; the “liberal arts” is short for “liberal arts and sciences,” encompassing everything from anthropology to computer science) some of these skills can spur anxiety in undergraduates; they feel the skill set offered by a liberal arts degree does not match the value of practical skills. The National Association of Colleges and Employers assembled a list of the most desirable skills for prospective employees, and of the ten in total, a majority included those trained in a liberal arts education. The ability to work in a team, ability to solve real-life problems, communicate verbally with people inside and outside of an organization, plan and prioritize work, analyze quantitative data, and the ability to synthesize written reports are all examples of advantageous – not useless – liberal arts skills (Adams).
Another plus of liberal arts study is its role in society. We frequently see liberal arts described as inferior to technical fields due to its lack of “practicality” – but the liberal arts are integral to many of society’s workings. Without philosophy and criminology, what would our laws look like? Ethics and morals are cornerstones of the justice system, and it is through liberal arts that we learn to apply them. Studying history is important for understanding the present and the future as well as the past; by examining our society’s actions through the years we are better informed to make pivotal decisions now. It allows us to evaluate our achievements as a species and learn from our mistakes. Without theatre, fine arts, design, film, communications, English, and the like, the very fabric of our culture would be dissolved – we would have no newspapers or publications, no New York Times bestsellers, no movies or plays or shows.
It is, of course, obvious that graduates with a liberal arts degree will not enter the workforce with the same salary of an engineering graduate. According to TIME, the average salary of a 2016 engineering graduate topped off at $64,891 – not bad for being directly out of college. Business starts at an encouraging $52,236. “Humanities” is further down the list, but not as far as one might expect at $46,065 yearly (Poppick). The promise of job security is more than enough to guide students along a STEM track given the possibility of a six-figure salary not far down the line. The disparity in entry-level earnings as well as a less defined path for a liberal arts major can intimidate many students given the rising cost of college tuition. However, there is a fair amount of risk with every major – even petroleum engineers, for example, must contend with the ebb and flow of the oil cycle, and architects face a very competitive job market despite the intensity of their training. Though finding a job after graduation may not be as simple as it is for more technical majors, there is a myriad of opportunities for those willing to apply themselves for the extra challenge.
While liberal arts majors are by no means obsolete, the times are constantly changing. Information is disseminated at a rapidly increasing rate. We are more connected with others around the globe than ever due to our immersion in the Digital Age. If people with liberal arts degrees are to succeed they are expected to keep up with the technology surrounding them. It is for this reason that some have urged liberal arts students to learn supplemental technical skills, such as coding. A liberal arts degree will have better job value the more it combines these areas with the core humanities, but if we continue this trend, at what point does this stop? Technology is influencing the way we access and produce information; does this mean it is slowly eating away at our communication skills, or instead working to build our volume of knowledge? As the liberal arts begin to adapt to our digitized world, we must consider to what degree they can change without losing their inherent significance.
Adams, Susan. “The 10 Skills Employers Most Want In 2015 Graduates.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 18 Feb. 2015. Web. 12 Mar. 2017.
Poppick, Susie. “Here’s What the Average Grad Makes Right Out of College.” Time. Time, 22 Apr. 2015. Web. 12 Mar. 2017.
When it comes to college, one of the biggest burdens and worries of students is finances. No matter how beneficial a part time job slightly over minimum wage is, the financial toll a college education plays on students is significant. As of last year, the average class of 2016 graduate owes $37,172 in student loan debt. This statistic is up six percent from 2015 (“A Look at the Shocking Student Loan Debt Statistics for 2017”). This exponentially increasing statistic alarms most college students and often alters career paths as students hope to lock in a safe financial path for their future.
Though the average starting salaries for students of liberal arts tracks and business are relatively similar, the increase in wealth over the course of STEM majors career vs liberal arts career is prominent. This can often encourage students to choose a major that provides financial security as fear of lifelong debt is inevitable. According to a U.S. News & World report, “the standard repayment plan for federal student loans puts borrowers on a 10-year track to pay off their debt, but research has shown the average bachelor’s degree holder takes 21 years to pay off his or her loans” (Bidwell). Further, the average STEM graduate can expect to make a meaty six figures with success in their field. Conversely, a liberal arts career can only reach salaries of approximately $100,000 as a psychologist or economist (“Ten Highest Paying Liberal Arts Degree Jobs.”). Of course, these prestigious careers often require further education…creating more of a financial burden and increase the debt of these liberal arts graduates. The overwhelming burden that student loans have, connected with the potential for financial success in STEM careers, may be a reason enough for the increasing hesitation of liberal art degrees.
Further, the changing technological world does not advocate for the pursuit of liberal arts degrees either. Scrolling through my twitter page, I noticed a Microsoft sponsored add. Their slogan? “Stay in STEM, change the world.” (https://twitter.com/microsoft/status/839966435245854720) As millions of teenagers view Twitter every day, it is evident that this type of propaganda can influence the minds of lost college students. As these fortune 500 companies encourage degrees in STEM, it’s important to remember a startling statistic: “a third of all Fortune 500 CEOs have liberal arts degrees” (Ray). Though technological degrees can provide a safety net for graduates who feel uneasy about a future in a constantly changing technology based society, some liberal arts majors are the most successful people in business. As there are endless pros and cons of a liberal arts major, when it comes to future financial success of graduates, the financial statistics currently display a “safer choice” when it comes to a degree in STEM.
“A Look at the Shocking Student Loan Debt Statistics for 2017.” Student Loan Hero. Student Loan Hero, 10 Mar. 2017. Web. 15 Mar. 2017.\
Bidwell, Allie. “Student Loan Expectations: Myth vs. Reality.” U.S. News & World Report. U.S. News & World Report, 07 Oct. 2014. Web. 15 Mar. 2017.
Ray, Edward J. “The Value of a Liberal Arts Education in Today’s Global Marketplace.” The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 24 July 2013. Web. 15 Mar. 2017.
“Ten Highest Paying Liberal Arts Degree Jobs.” College Ranker. College Ranker, 04 Nov. 2015. Web. 15 Mar. 2017.
It is true that many liberal arts students will pursue further education (graduate school, doctoral) to increase their chances of working with a higher salary. As you said, STEM salaries tend to increase more exponentially where liberal arts career salaries increase at a less significant rate; given the similar rapidly increasing cost of college tuition a STEM career track certainly feels like the safest long-term choice.
I found the Microsoft Twitter ad somewhat disconcerting. I wholeheartedly believe in the importance of STEM in our technologically advanced society; I feel the more we can discover the better, and the more STEM knowledge we expand the better we can improve the world around us. However, I find the implication disturbing that only through STEM can you change the world; the wording of that slogan is not terribly inclusive for other fields.
The ongoing battle of STEM majors vs. Liberal Arts majors has been prominent for a long time. While liberal arts majors may not be the most well-respected or well-paid, I believe that they get to learn extremely important skills and can go on to have very successful careers.
In my opinion, because the liberal arts are so broad and often do not require very advanced science or math skills, people often look down on liberal arts majors. In an article written for The Huffington Post, the author writes that “the liberal arts are critical to success in every economic sector. There can be no doubt that they play an essential part in providing a foundation for learning in every professional field” (Ray). The CEO of Starbucks even has a degree in the liberal arts (Ray)! The article also mentions how much more adaptable liberal arts majors are in the workplace because of the widespread knowledge they have.
I have noticed that this is an issue some college students have with each other as well. I remember a while ago, there was conflict in the Class of 2020 Facebook group between STEM/business majors and those who were in liberal arts. The main topic of conversation was the difficulty of classes and the salaries they would be getting with their degrees. The STEM/business majors were attacking people in ‘less difficult fields’, but then going on to say how much more money they would be making once they had their degrees. I was appalled by this because I did not believe that they had the right to judge other peoples’ career choices. Personally, I hate math and most sciences, so why would I want to spend the rest of my life working in those areas? I would much rather be paid less to do a job that I love, rather than be paid more to do a job that I could not stand.
In the debate between STEM vs. Liberal Arts majors, I do not think there will ever peace. In my opinion, as long as a person enjoys what they do, no one should have anything negative to say about it.
Ray, Edward J. “The Value of a Liberal Arts Education in Today’s Global Marketplace.” The Huffington Post. The Huffington Post, 24 July 2013. Web. 16 Mar. 2017. .
I wholeheartedly agree with your statement. If a person finds value in their work and, say, has a lower salary than someone who abhors their field and is paid lavishly, who is the more “successful?” In our society we make salary and usefulness synonymous at times; because a person is paid well, what they are doing must be more important than the job of someone not making six figures, etc.
In my opinion the debate should not exist. How much more could we accomplish if we worked together across fields? How much more effective would research be if the friction between hard and soft sciences didn’t exist? Is it wise to provide students with such a significant “either/or” decision for STEM and everything else, given they are under immense pressure to pay off loans and can think of little else?
I think we can all agree that the STEM vs Liberal Arts debate is not going away anytime soon. However, I am curious to see what path we will go down in the future? With the way things look right now, there seems to be a downward trend of those in liberal arts majors as the STEM degrees soar.
In fact, my Psych 100 professor told me that there is a push within the psych department at Penn State for all Psych 100 professors to take at least a day to inform students of the various career opportunities that are available through a degree in Psychology. Although not explicitly stated by the department, my professor said he believed this was being pushed due to the decrease in the number of students seeking a degree in Psychology.
In the Forbes article Gabrielle mentioned, the top ten skills employers most want in college graduates include:
1. Ability to work in a team structure
2. Ability to make decisions and solve problems (tie)
3. Ability to communicate verbally with people inside and outside an organization
4. Ability to plan, organize and prioritize work
5. Ability to obtain and process information
6. Ability to analyze quantitative data
7. Technical knowledge related to the job
8. Proficiency with computer software programs
9. Ability to create and/or edit written reports
10. Ability to sell and influence others (Adams).
I found it interesting that as the article goes on, it states how almost all of these skills can be learned no matter what degree you sought in college. This, combined with the push for STEM, leads me to believe that the future for our education will have a vast majority of students in the STEM fields (with these fields working to incorporate more “liberal arts” ideals that are found on the list above).
While I see the value in both liberal arts degrees and STEM degrees, I cannot help but wonder how this debate between the two groups will ultimately affect our education system and workforce in the long run.
Adams, Susan. “The 10 Skills Employers Most Want In 2015 Graduates.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 18 Feb. 2015. Web. 12 Mar. 2017.