Liberal Arts Majors Find Strong Job Prospects in Data-Driven Study

Liberals arts majors often get a bad rap for having poor job prospects after graduation. But data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York suggests that's not entirely true.

The study found that among liberal arts majors, journalism majors had the strongest job outcomes, with an unemployment rate of just 2.3%. This is lower than the overall average of 5.7% for recent college graduates.

Journalism majors typically work in media and public relations, earning around $49,000 early in their careers. By mid-career, their wages rise by more than 75%, with some journalists earning upwards of $87,000 per year.

Communication and political science majors also fared well, with unemployment rates below the overall average for recent graduates. Communication majors often go on to become managers, teachers, marketing analysts, or human resources professionals, while political science majors may pursue law school or work in government, media, or non-profits.