It takes three to six years to earn a bachelor of arts, though most students spend four years (eight semesters) in college to earn this type of degree. Four years is certainly a long time to stay in school, though – will the salary you can earn after graduation be worth it?
Salary by Major
If salary is your main concern, choose your major wisely. Many of the top-paying jobs for bachelor’s degree students are actually science-based, which means that you’ll more likely to earn a bachelor of science instead of a bachelor of arts, but don’t be fooled – there are still some extremely high-paying jobs for those who have completely bachelor of arts programs.
Bachelor of arts degrees typically focus on education in non-scientific fields like history, art, and literature. There available majors for this type of education are, however, nearly limitless. The major you choose does greatly affect the salary you earn. Here are some majors you should consider with your bachelor of arts degree, keeping in mind that these are approximate median salaries:
- Commercial art and graphic design: $40,940
- Communications: $41,600
- Economics: $52,450
- English language and literature: $38,710
- Fine arts: $36,000
- History: $39,520
- Journalism: $41,330
- Political science and government: $43,730
- Psychology: $35,750
Source: BLS.gov
Making More Money with a Bachelor of Arts
Want to make even more money in your field? No matter what your major, pay attention to location, as this can be a huge factor in determining salary, as well as the type of employer that hires you, your benefits package, other skills you bring to the table, and more.