by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 339 U.S. colleges awarded 18,673 degrees and certificates in Humanities. Associate degrees are the most popular award, at 88% of graduates. College Factual ranks 159 schools in its 2027 Best Humanities Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $32,173 one year after completing, rising to $46,857 after four years.
Studying Humanities explores Humanities/humanistic Studies. A Program That Focuses On Combined Studies And Research In The Humanities Subjects As Distinguished From The Social And Physical Sciences, Emphasizing Languages, Literatures, Art, Music, Philosophy And Religion.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, humanities draws strong interest, with 18,673 degrees awarded annually. 339 colleges award humanities degrees, an average of 55 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 1,292.
By level, the 18,673 awards include 49 certificates, 16,408 associate degrees, 1,561 bachelor’s degrees, 580 master’s degrees and 75 doctorates.
Women earned 63% of humanities degrees and certificates in the latest year (11,687 of 18,673). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are Hispanic or Latino (7,955) and White (5,686), and international students earned 381.
College Factual ranks 159 schools in its 2027 Best Humanities Schools ranking, including 115 for associate degrees, 39 for bachelor’s degrees and 10 for master’s degrees. It also ranks humanities schools within 25 states. In all, 339 colleges offer humanities programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Humanities Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
How long a humanities degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 49 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 16,408 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 1,561 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 580 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 75 |
1 occupations are related to Humanities, with an average median salary of $68,967. Typical job titles include Survey Research Teacher, University Teacher, Faculty Member and University Professor.
The occupation related to humanities with the most projected jobs is Postsecondary Teachers, All Other, at 964,215.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Postsecondary Teachers, All Other | 964,215 | -0.1% |
Humanities graduates earn a median $32,173 one year after completing their program, $46,857 after four years and $43,964 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $32,173 |
| 4 years | $46,857 |
| 5 years | $43,964 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to humanities, with a median salary of $68,967.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Postsecondary Teachers, All Other | $68,967 |
Humanities has 3 similar majors in the Liberal Arts & Humanities field, which together award 530,692 degrees a year; the largest are Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies (348,742), General Studies (129,285) and Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other (52,665). Browse all Liberal Arts & Humanities majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies | 348,742 |
| General Studies | 129,285 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other | 52,665 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
