New Data on Job Satisfaction, Occupations, Earnings, and Salaries for Those Earning an Advanced Degree in the Humanities

Job Satisfaction of Humanities Ph.D. Recipients 

As of 2015, humanities PhD recipients had job satisfaction levels similar to their counterparts in several other major fields, but there was a gap of 11 percentage points between humanities PhDs employed in academic positions and those employed outside the academy.

Job Status of Humanities Ph.D.’s at Time of Graduation

In 2015, 56% of employed humanities PhDs were teaching at the postsecondary level as their principal occupations. In comparison, just 29% of employed doctoral degree recipients in all fields combined were in postsecondary teaching.

Occupations of Humanities Ph.D.’s

Among new PhD recipients in 2016, those in the humanities were the least likely to have a definite job or postdoctoral study commitment when they graduated (52%, as compared to 62% among all new PhDs). This marked the lowest level in at least two decades.

Earnings of Humanities Ph.D.’s

In 2015, college graduates with a PhD in the humanities had the lowest median earnings ($77,000) of graduates with doctorates in any of the major academic fields (excluding the arts). The median income for all doctoral degree recipients was $99,000.

Approximately 88% of workers with a terminal master’s degree reported job satisfaction in 2015, which was somewhat greater than among business degree holders, but somewhat smaller—though within four percentage points—of the share for every other field.
When asked about their satisfaction with particular aspects of their jobs, terminal master’s degree recipients in the humanities were similar to terminal master’s degree holders in general on every measure except salary and benefits. In the case of three nontangible job benefits—location, opportunities for advancement, and contribution to society—recipients of terminal master’s degrees in the humanities were somewhat more likely to be satisfied than terminal master’s degree holders generally.

Earnings of Humanities Master’s Degree Recipients

Approximately 88% of workers with a terminal master’s degree reported job satisfaction in 2015, which was somewhat greater than among business degree holders, but somewhat smaller—though within four percentage points—of the share for every other field.

In 2015, 37.3% of employed humanities master’s degree recipients worked in teaching occupations, nearly twice the share of graduates from all fields combined. Outside of teaching, the largest share of humanities master’s degree recipients was found in management positions (11.1%).