In Defense of the Humanities Majors

May 3rd, 2024

As someone who has been a student for the past six years, I’m no stranger to the prevailing thought that humanities majors are no longer valuable. From online forums to everyday conversations, there’s a common misconception that these degrees offer little to no return on investment. And as someone who started as a STEM major but later switched, I have experienced how both are extremely important. So, I’m here to challenge that notion and argue for the importance of humanities in our society. 

First and foremost, let me clarify that this argument is not about humanities versus STEM. Both are equally valuable and necessary. We should not "other" different majors but find a middle ground between the two. Both degrees provide valuable skills essential for success in life, and an overemphasis on one over the other is not advisable.

From novelists to philosophers, humanities majors possess the ability to shape the cultural zeitgeist that influences us all. Take, for example, writers like JK Rowling and JRR Tolkien, whose works of fiction have permeated popular culture to the extent of inspiring amusement parks, movies, parodies, and even everyday language. Similarly, Star Wars has had a profound impact, with "May the force be with you" becoming so iconic that a day of the year has been designated in its honor, symbolized by its resemblance to the phrase "May the Fourth."

One argument against humanities is the misconception that success is solely measured by affluence. This notion is deeply ingrained in our capitalist society (Brogan, 2023). For example, while a philosophy major may have a lifetime earnings gain of $658,900 over someone without a bachelor’s degree, a physics major can expect over $1 million (Dorfman, 2014). Some take this information and argue that STEM majors earn more and, therefore, are more valuable. However, this perspective fails to recognize that the purpose of life isn't solely to maximize earnings and that society needs diverse contributions to be successful.

Despite the gaps shown above, most humanities majors actually earn about the same over time as most STEM majors (varying slightly by major - as shown above) (Chow, 2023). STEM majors, like computer science and engineering, typically earn more initially, but their curves flatten, and the gap between earnings narrows after the age of 40, regardless of your major (Chow, 2023; Velarde, 2020; Joubert, 2024). For some humanities majors who later pursue a master's degree, they can outearn their STEM counterparts (Velarde, 2020; Joubert, 2024).

We can also compare recent graduates and notice that STEM does not always lead to lucrative early careers. A recent graduate in English typically earns $53,000, and a recent graduate with a biology major earns about $56,000, so we can see that the premium for STEM does not apply to all majors (Dorfman, 2014).

One reason that humanities degrees can close the gap or eventually earn more is because their career paths are far more flexible (Shultz, 2023). An English major has more paths available to them than a specialized engineer or researcher. This diversity of options is not necessarily a bad thing for STEM, and it’s not necessarily a good thing for humanities; it just happens due to the differing skill sets developed in each major.

Another reason to pursue a humanities degree is it promotes critical thinking skills. Humanities majors typically shape the cultural zeitgeist because they focus on developing original arguments and have the communication skills to persuade people to do it (Brogan, 2023). Part of the reason employers feel they cannot find qualified employees is because they lack the interpersonal skills necessary to be successful in the office (Krislov, 2023).

Soft skills like communication, public speaking, critical thinking, and the ability to put research into context are incredibly important to success in the office. In fact, over 33% of Fortune 500 CEOs have a liberal arts degree (SMWC, 2023). This extends beyond humanities majors; STEM majors need to be able to persuade people that their discoveries are worthwhile. No one will buy into something they cannot understand.

Furthermore, it is not a benefit to society to have everyone study STEM. Some of us do not want to study STEM, and that’s alright (Taylor, 2023). Not all of us want to do quantitative research. Some of us prefer to read and analyze social issues or challenge commonly held beliefs from a qualitative point of view. And, some of us would prefer to do neither, instead working in a different field altogether. All of that is absolutely fine and leads to a more productive society as a whole (Velarde, 2020).

We need people from all backgrounds to make our country work. Bakeries, restaurants, and local stores are the backbone of their communities and can be just as valuable as a STEM major who is creating a new technology (Ruggeri, 2019).

These disciplines are essential for fostering a well-developed, inclusive, and empathetic society (Ruggeri, 2019). They all have their place. And it's important to remember that if everyone did the same thing, those skills would become devalued, and we’d become homogenous. We would all read the same books, discuss the same things, and share similar values. There is inherent value in people approaching life from different perspectives.

And finally, the value of a humanities goes beyond the monetary. A good teacher can change a student’s life, yet they are, year over year, one of the most undervalued professions (Allegretto, 2022). Humanities majors challenge the belief that your worth is inherently monetary. They inform the cultural zeitgeist, create media that we all consume, post interesting and challenging articles, and so much more (Brogan, 2023). It’s unfair to pigeonhole the entire degree into a failure simply because it provides value outside of that, which is just money.

Humanities degrees are so much more than just a degree. They help students develop critical thinking abilities, challenge us to think more about our places in the world and pursue careers that we interact with on the daily. It’s crazy to say that they are worthless.

I understand that these arguments may not be as strong in a society where you have to participate in the capitalist system to succeed. But, maybe those with a humanities degree have developed the skills to make some needed changes.

Always busy,

Sam

Works Cited:

Allegretto, S. (2022, August 16). The Teacher Pay Penalty Has Hit A New Height. Economic Policy Institute. https://www.epi.org/publication/teacher-pay-penalty-2022/.

Brogan, F. (2023, December 13). Humanities Majors Aren’t Impractical. The Daily Princetonian. https://www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2023/12/princeton-opinion-column-humanities-majors-impractical-employment

Chow, J. (2023, October 26). Myth or Fact?: Stem Majors are Inherently More Valuable than Humanities Majors. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jinchow/2023/10/26/myth-or-fact-stem-majors-are-inherently-more-valuable-than-humanities-majors/?sh=211a9b183606

Derming, D. (2019, September 20). In the Salary Race, Engineers Sprint But English Majors Endure. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/20/business/liberal-arts-stem-salaries.html

Dorfman, Jeffery (2014, November 20). Surprise: Humanities Degrees Provide Great Return On Investment. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffreydorfman/2014/11/20/surprise-humanities-degrees-provide-great-return-on-investment/?sh=2fce49272031

Joubert, S. (2024, February 28). The 8 Highest Paying Master’s Degrees in 2024. Northeastern University Graduate Programs. https://graduate.northeastern.edu/resources/highest-paying-masters-degrees/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Economic%20Policy,with%20just%20a%20bachelor's%20degree.

Krislov, M. (2023, November 10). Why The Humanities Matter More Than Ever—Even When You Keep Hearing Otherwise. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/marvinkrislov/2023/11/10/why-the-humanities-matter-more-than-ever-even-when-you-keep-hearing-otherwise/?sh=2e6e0fa66b36

Ruggeri, Amanda (2019, April 1). Why ‘Worthless’ Humanities Degrees May Set You Up For Life. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20190401-why-worthless-humanities-degrees-may-set-you-up-for-life

Shultz, T. (2023, December 17). Fewer Than One In Ten Students Graduate With a Humanities Degree. Redhawks Online. https://redhawksonline.com/2023/12/17/the-rise-of-stem-the-fall-of-humanities/#:~:text=At%20first%20glance%2C%20studies%20assert,gap%20completely%20(Huntington%20news).

SMWC (2023, March 14). Why Choose a Private Liberal Arts College Versus a STEM College? Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. https://www.smwc.edu/why-choose-a-private-liberal-arts-college-versus-a-stem-college-blog-mar-23/#:~:text=Starting%20salaries%20are%20higher%20for,information%20and%20making%20informed%20decisions.

Taylor, L. (2023, September 20). You’re Not a Woman in STEM, and That’s Alright. Student Life. https://www.studlife.com/forum/2023/09/20/youre-not-a-woman-in-stem-and-thats-ok

Velarde, J. (2020, January 5). STEM Vs. Humanities: Do What You Love. https://stemcadia.com/stem-vs-humanities/#:~:text=STEM%20majors%20do%20have%20a,subjects%20start%20to%20catch%20up