Interest in business and engineering programs continues to remain strong in the United Sates, but success in the long term requires an ability to grow, adapt, and contribute as citizens—and to build successful careers. That’s why businesses are emphasizing the value of a liberal arts education in a global marketplace.
College shouldn’t prepare you for your first job; it should prepare you for the rest of your life. Over the course of their careers, liberal arts majors have comparable or higher salaries compared to business majors. Liberal arts majors often pursue graduate degrees and gravitate into high-paying fields such as general management, politics, law and sales. Liberal arts degrees provide the skill employers seek — teamwork, clear writing, problem-solving aptitude and strong oral communications. Mindful of those longer-term needs, employers want tohire humanities and social-sciences graduates.
The numbers speak for themselves. The Brookings Institution’s Hamilton Project analyzed lifetime earnings for each discipline’s top 10% of moneymakers. It found that people with computer science degrees totaled lifetime earnings of at least $3.2 million. However, philosophy majors’ $3.46 million or history majors’ $3.75 million lifetime earnings says it all.
The numbers speak for themselves. The Brookings Institution’s Hamilton Project analyzed lifetime earnings for each discipline’s top 10% of moneymakers. It found that people with computer science degrees totaled lifetime earnings of at least $3.2 million. However, philosophy majors’ $3.46 million or history majors’ $3.75 million lifetime earnings says it all.
Not only is a liberal arts degree valuable in itself, but also teaches many of the skills and abilities that are needed in the contemporary workplace. Managers in business, industry and government value a liberal arts degree. You bring "employability skills" to the workplace — reading, writing, listening, speaking effectively, knowledge of language, critical thinking, problem solving, quantitative reasoning, information literacy and the capacity to continue to learn for life Liberal arts programs have always concentrated on just these skills. At Lehigh, you have the best opportunities to develop these general employability skills when you enter the College of Arts and Sciences.
