Living on the Liberal Arts

School of Liberal Arts

Making a living, making a difference, making a life.
 

The proof is in the pudding. The research is in. Despite what you may have heard, liberal arts graduates are faring well in today’s economy. They advance more quickly and end up earning as much or more than do their peers who majored in business or STEM fields. And philosophers definitely outpace plumbers in lifetime earnings.

When students leave Saint Mary’s College with a B.A. in one of our humanities, social sciences, or creative and performing arts programs, they take with them the intellectual skills, interpersonal and intercultural habits, penchant for lifelong learning, and facility for adaptation that promises success not only in their first job, but in the next one and the one after that. In the jobs and industries that don’t yet exist.

And even more importantly, they know how to find and make meaning in life. Research indicates that liberal arts graduates are more fulfilled personally and professionally than those from most other fields. Whether our graduates ultimately choose financially lucrative opportunities or opt for professional pathways that provide other kinds of enrichment, rest assured that they are well-equipped for success.