The Indicator from Planet Money · Thursday, October 1, 2026
The number of bachelor's degrees awarded in humanities fields has fallen by 30 percent since 2012, according to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. This decline is linked to concerns about low earnings potential and the difficulty of justifying generalized degrees in a competitive job market.
“And the last decade or so has already been hard for the liberal arts in the U.S. The number of bachelor's degrees awarded in humanities is down 30 percent since 2012.”
“Parents and students, you know, they're looking for a pathway to what's next. And so when you, if you're offering generalized degrees, especially in a specialty university like ours, it begs the question, okay, what am I going to do next?”