Liberal Arts and Sciences: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Liberal Arts and Sciences programs are designed to cultivate broad intellectual foundations through interdisciplinary study. These programs emphasize critical thinking, analytical reasoning, and a comprehensive understanding of diverse fields, preparing students for adaptable, informed, and meaningful engagement in a complex world.
- Arts: Explores creative expression and cultural interpretation through disciplines such as literature, visual arts, music, and theater, fostering aesthetic awareness and imaginative inquiry.
- Biological Sciences: Investigates living organisms and life processes, including cellular function, genetics, ecology, and evolutionary theory, grounded in empirical research and scientific methodology.
- Physical Sciences: Focuses on the fundamental principles governing matter, energy, and the universe, encompassing physics, chemistry, and earth sciences through experimental and theoretical analysis.
- Social Sciences: Examines human behavior, societal structures, and institutional dynamics through fields like psychology, sociology, political science, and anthropology, using data-driven and interpretive approaches.
- Humanities: Engages with the philosophical, ethical, historical, and linguistic dimensions of human experience, promoting reflection on values, identity, and cultural development across time and place.
Liberal Arts and Sciences Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Liberal Arts and Sciences Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Liberal Arts and Sciences degrees, including Postsecondary Teachers, All Other. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 151,530 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Postsecondary Teachers, All Other 25-1199 | $78,490 | $39,720 - $172,850 | 151,530 | N/A |
Liberal Arts and Sciences Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $49,690 in Nevada to $135,380 in Hawaii—a 172% difference. The highest-paying states include Hawaii, Nebraska, and California. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 151,530 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.
Average Salary Range:
Top Universities for Liberal Arts and Sciences by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 100 institutions offering Liberal Arts and Sciences programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Liberal Arts and Sciences is found at Santa Monica College (SMC) (7,134 graduates), Lone Star College System (LSC) (6,485 graduates), Miami Dade College (MDC) (6,449 graduates), Valencia College (6,079 graduates), and Saddleback College (4,828 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 172,393 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Monica College (SMC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
7,134 | Santa Monica, California | Public | smc.edu |
| Lone Star College System (LSC) |
Associate's
|
6,485 | The Woodlands, Texas | Public | lonestar.edu |
| Miami Dade College (MDC) |
Associate's
|
6,449 | Miami, Florida | Public | mdc.edu |
| Valencia College |
Associate's
|
6,079 | Orlando, Florida | Public | valenciacollege.edu |
| Saddleback College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
4,828 | Mission Viejo, California | Public | saddleback.edu |
| Bakersfield College (BC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
4,030 | Bakersfield, California | Public | bakersfieldcollege.edu |
| Broward College (BC) |
Associate's
|
3,513 | Fort Lauderdale, Florida | Public | broward.edu |
| Los Angeles Pierce College (LAPC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
3,052 | Woodland Hills, California | Public | lapc.edu |
| Palm Beach State College (PBSC) |
Associate's
|
2,802 | Lake Worth, Florida | Public | palmbeachstate.edu |
| Pima Community College (PCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
2,712 | Tucson, Arizona | Public | pima.edu |
| Moorpark College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
2,678 | Moorpark, California | Public | moorparkcollege.edu |
| Golden West College (GWC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
2,462 | Huntington Beach, California | Public | goldenwestcollege.edu |
| Hillsborough Community College (HCC) |
Associate's
|
2,444 | Tampa, Florida | Public | hccfl.edu |
| Metropolitan Community College (MCC-KC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
2,375 | Kansas City, Missouri | Public | mcckc.edu |
| St Petersburg College (SPC) |
Associate's
|
2,367 | St. Petersburg, Florida | Public | spcollege.edu |
| Ventura College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
2,293 | Ventura, California | Public | venturacollege.edu |
| Irvine Valley College (IVC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
2,254 | Irvine, California | Public | ivc.edu |
| Tallahassee Community College (TCC) |
Associate's
|
2,211 | Tallahassee, Florida | Public | tcc.fl.edu |
| Illinois Central College (ICC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
2,182 | East Peoria, Illinois | Public | icc.edu |
| Cuyahoga Community College District (Tri-C) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
2,169 | Cleveland, Ohio | Public | tri-c.edu |
| Allan Hancock College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
2,060 | Santa Maria, California | Public | hancockcollege.edu |
| Orange Coast College (OCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
2,059 | Costa Mesa, California | Public | orangecoastcollege.edu |
| Santa Fe College (SF) |
Associate's
|
2,057 | Gainesville, Florida | Public | sfcollege.edu |
| Cerritos College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
1,944 | Norwalk, California | Public | cerritos.edu |
| Rio Hondo College (RHC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
1,837 | Whittier, California | Public | riohondo.edu |
| Georgia State University (GSU Perimeter) |
Associate's
|
1,835 | Atlanta, Georgia | Public | perimeter.gsu.edu |
| William Rainey Harper College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
1,823 | Palatine, Illinois | Public | harpercollege.edu |
| Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) |
Associate's
|
1,822 | Charlotte, North Carolina | Public | cpcc.edu |
| Long Beach City College (LBCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
1,803 | Long Beach, California | Public | lbcc.edu |
| Seminole State College of Florida |
Associate's
|
1,785 | Sanford, Florida | Public | seminolestate.edu |
| Cuesta College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
1,724 | San Luis Obispo, California | Public | cuesta.edu |
| Collin County Community College District (CCCCD) |
Associate's
|
1,707 | McKinney, Texas | Public | collin.edu |
| Indian River State College (IRSC) |
Associate's
|
1,689 | Fort Pierce, Florida | Public | irsc.edu |
| Eastern Florida State College (EFSC) |
Associate's
|
1,668 | Melbourne, Florida | Public | easternflorida.edu |
| Florida State College (FSCJ) |
Associate's
|
1,668 | Jacksonville, Florida | Public | fscj.edu |
| Grossmont College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
1,600 | El Cajon, California | Public | grossmont.edu |
| College of Lake County (CLC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
1,587 | Grayslake, Illinois | Public | clcillinois.edu |
| Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Other Award
|
1,558 | Santa Rosa, California | Public | santarosa.edu |
| MiraCosta College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
1,518 | Oceanside, California | Public | miracosta.edu |
| El Paso Community College (EPCC) |
Associate's
|
1,507 | El Paso, Texas | Public | epcc.edu |
| Florida SouthWestern State College (FSW) |
Associate's
|
1,506 | Fort Myers, Florida | Public | fsw.edu |
| Fullerton College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
1,490 | Fullerton, California | Public | fullcoll.edu |
| Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
1,488 | Santa Barbara, California | Public | sbcc.edu |
| Wake Technical Community College (Wake Tech) |
Associate's
|
1,458 | Raleigh, North Carolina | Public | waketech.edu |
| East Los Angeles College (ELAC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
1,446 | Monterey Park, California | Public | elac.edu |
| Victor Valley College (VVC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
1,398 | Victorville, California | Public | vvc.edu |
| Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
1,386 | Albuquerque, New Mexico | Public | cnm.edu |
| Pittsburg State University |
Associate's
Bachelor's
|
1,370 | Pittsburg, Kansas | Public | pittstate.edu |
| Daytona State College (DSC) |
Associate's
|
1,367 | Daytona Beach, Florida | Public | daytonastate.edu |
| Fresno City College (FCC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
1,355 | Fresno, California | Public | fresnocitycollege.edu |
| Rowan College at Burlington County (RCBC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
1,348 | Mount Laurel, New Jersey | Public | rcbc.edu |
| Excelsior University |
Associate's
Bachelor's
Master's
|
1,344 | Albany, New York | Private | excelsior.edu |
| Bergen Community College (BCC) |
Associate's
|
1,322 | Paramus, New Jersey | Public | bergen.edu |
| Santa Ana College (SAC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
1,319 | Santa Ana, California | Public | sac.edu |
| Greenville Technical College (GTC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
1,299 | Greenville, South Carolina | Public | gvltec.edu |
| Tri-County Technical College (TCTC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
1,294 | Pendleton, South Carolina | Public | tctc.edu |
| Los Angeles Harbor College (LAHC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
1,287 | Wilmington, California | Public | lahc.edu |
| Chabot College (CC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
1,275 | Hayward, California | Public | chabotcollege.edu |
| Johnson County Community College (JCCC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
1,272 | Overland Park, Kansas | Public | jccc.edu |
| College of the Canyons |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
1,225 | Santa Clarita, California | Public | canyons.edu |
| Cypress College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
1,223 | Cypress, California | Public | cypresscollege.edu |
| Elgin Community College (ECC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
1,223 | Elgin, Illinois | Public | elgin.edu |
| Pasadena City College (PCC) |
Associate's
|
1,208 | Pasadena, California | Public | pasadena.edu |
| West Valley College (WVC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
1,194 | Saratoga, California | Public | westvalley.edu |
| Saint Louis Community College (STLCC) |
Associate's
|
1,181 | Bridgeton, Missouri | Public | stlcc.edu |
| Santiago Canyon College (SCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
1,174 | Orange, California | Public | sccollege.edu |
| Pierce College District |
Associate's
|
1,128 | Lakewood, Washington | Public | pierce.ctc.edu |
| Los Angeles Valley College (LAVC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
1,118 | Valley Glen, California | Public | lavc.edu |
| Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
|
1,116 | Salt Lake City, Utah | Public | slcc.edu |
| Clovis Community College (CCC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
1,093 | Fresno, California | Public | cloviscollege.edu |
| College of the Desert (COD) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
1,085 | Palm Desert, California | Public | collegeofthedesert.edu |
| Columbus State Community College (CSCC) |
Associate's
|
1,083 | Columbus, Ohio | Public | cscc.edu |
| Oxnard College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
1,080 | Oxnard, California | Public | oxnardcollege.edu |
| Hartnell College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
1,078 | Salinas, California | Public | hartnell.edu |
| Los Angeles City College (LACC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
1,068 | Los Angeles, California | Public | lacitycollege.edu |
| San Bernardino Valley College (SBVC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
1,044 | San Bernardino, California | Public | valleycollege.edu |
| Grayson College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
1,025 | Denison, Texas | Public | grayson.edu |
| State College of Florida (SCF) |
Associate's
|
1,010 | Bradenton, Florida | Public | scf.edu |
| Oakton College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
997 | Des Plaines, Illinois | Public | oakton.edu |
| Portland Community College (PCC) |
Associate's
|
990 | Portland, Oregon | Public | pcc.edu |
| Bellevue College (BC) |
Associate's
|
982 | Bellevue, Washington | Public | bellevuecollege.edu |
| Utah Valley University (UVU) |
Associate's
|
968 | Orem, Utah | Public | uvu.edu |
| Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) |
Associate's
|
938 | New Port Richey, Florida | Public | phsc.edu |
| City Colleges of Chicago (HWC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
937 | Chicago, Illinois | Public | ccc.edu |
| Arkansas State University (A-State) |
Associate's
|
902 | Jonesboro, Arkansas | Public | astate.edu |
| McHenry County College (MCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
902 | Crystal Lake, Illinois | Public | mchenry.edu |
| Wayne County Community College District (WCCCD) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
883 | Detroit, Michigan | Public | wcccd.edu |
| University of Virginia (UVA) |
Bachelor's
|
868 | Charlottesville, Virginia | Public | virginia.edu |
| Merced College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
860 | Merced, California | Public | mccd.edu |
| Los Angeles Mission College (LAMC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
841 | Sylmar, California | Public | lamission.edu |
| Imperial Valley College (IVC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
839 | Imperial, California | Public | imperial.edu |
| American River College (ARC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Other Award
|
838 | Sacramento, California | Public | arc.losrios.edu |
| Pellissippi State Community College (PSTCC) |
Associate's
|
834 | Knoxville, Tennessee | Public | pstcc.edu |
| Pensacola State College (PSC) |
Associate's
|
831 | Pensacola, Florida | Public | pensacolastate.edu |
| West Los Angeles College (WLAC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
823 | Culver City, California | Public | wlac.edu |
| Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC) |
Associate's
|
819 | Lexington, Kentucky | Public | bluegrass.kctcs.edu |
| NorthWest Arkansas Community College (NWACC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
803 | Bentonville, Arkansas | Public | nwacc.edu |
| Motlow State Community College |
Associate's
|
801 | Tullahoma, Tennessee | Public | mscc.edu |
| Polk State College |
Associate's
|
794 | Winter Haven, Florida | Public | polk.edu |
| Clark College |
Associate's
|
793 | Vancouver, Washington | Public | clark.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Liberal Arts and Sciences programs
How much can I earn with a Liberal Arts and Sciences degree?
Salaries for Liberal Arts and Sciences graduates vary by role and location. Postsecondary Teachers, All Other earn a median of $78,490 annually. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in Hawaii average $135,380 compared to $49,690 in Nevada. Approximately 151,530 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.
Which universities have the largest Liberal Arts and Sciences programs?
Currently 1,429 accredited institutions offer Liberal Arts and Sciences degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Santa Monica College (SMC) (7,134 graduates), Lone Star College System (LSC) (6,485 graduates), and Miami Dade College (MDC) (6,449 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in Liberal Arts and Sciences growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 258,831 in 2010 to a peak of 366,349 in 2020, before declining slightly to 344,220 in 2023-24. This represents a 33% increase overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with steady interest, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
What career paths are available with a Liberal Arts and Sciences degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Postsecondary Teachers, All Other. Related occupations employ approximately 151,530 professionals nationwide.
Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.
Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
Related Liberal Arts Programs
Explore similar degree programs within the Liberal Arts field. These programs share the same academic discipline and may offer complementary skills and career pathways.
Liberal Arts and Humanities
Any single instructional program in liberal arts and sciences, general studies and humanities not listed above.
General Studies
An undifferentiated program that includes instruction in the general arts, general science, or unstructured studies.
Humanities Studies
A program that focuses on combined studies and research in the humanities subjects as distinguished from the social and physical sciences, emphasizing languages,...