Class of 2014: Top-Paid Liberal Arts Majors
CONTACT: Andrea Koncz, ext. 121 , and Kevin Gray, ext. 139, 610.868.1421
E-MAIL:
DATE: May 15, 2014
SUBJECT: Class of 2014: Top-Paid Liberal Arts Majors
BETHLEHEM, PA-Majors in languages and literature were the top-paid among Class of 2014 liberal arts graduates at the bachelor's degree level, according to results of a recent survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
NACE's April 2014 Salary Survey found that foreign languages and literatures majors earned the highest average starting salary al $46,900, followed by English language and literature letters majors at $42,200. (See Figure 1.)
Employers hi ring foreign languages and literatures majors did so primarily to fill elementary and middle school teaching positions. Meanwhile; employers hired English language and literature letters majors for positions as teachers, editors, writers, managers, paralegals, and legal assistants.
In all, Class of 2014 graduates in five liberal arts majors earned average starting salaries that exceed $40,000.
An executive summary of the April 2014 Salary Survey report is available at resources/salary-survey.aspx.
Figure 1: Starting salaries for Class of 2014 liberal arts majors
ForeignLanguagesandLiterature / $46,900
EnglishLanguageandLiteratureLetters / -
$42,200
Liberal Artsand Sciences/General Studies / $41,600
Political Science/Government / $41,600
History / $40,600
Psychology / $37,900
SocialWork / $36,700
Sociology / $36,300
Visual andPerformingArts / $36,300
CriminalJusticeandCorrections / $36,200
Source: April 2014 Salary Survey, National Association of Colleges and Employers. All data are for bachelor's degree graduates.
About SalarySurvey: Salary Survey reports starting salaries for new college graduates in more than 90 disciplines at the bachelor's-degree level. Data contained in the report are reported by employers, represent accepted starting salaries (not salary offers), and are produced through a compilation of data derived from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Census Bureau, and a master set of data developed by Job Search Intelligence. Data for the April 2014 Salary Survey report were retrieved in February 2014. Salary Survey is published i n January, April, and September.
AboutNACE: Since 1956, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) has been the leading source of information about the employment of college graduates. For more information, visit NACE maintains a virtual press room for the media at