Occupational Distribution of Graduate Humanities Degree Holders, by Level of Highest Degree, 2019

Occupational Distribution of Graduate Humanities Degree Holders, by Level of Highest Degree, 2019

While the employment sector for recipients of humanities graduate degrees provides one point of comparison between the degree levels, their occupations provide another. Just under a third of the employed humanities master’s degree recipients worked in education positions in 2019, with about half of that share working in K–12 education and half in postsecondary institutions. After education, the largest share of master’s degree holders was found in management jobs (16%).

More than 60% of humanities PhDs were employed in postsecondary teaching, with an additional 2% in K–12 teaching and another 4% in other types of education jobs (mostly administration). Beyond academia, 9% worked in library and museum occupations, and 8% were employed in management positions.14

Endnotes

• 14Ibid; includes all degree holders employed within the previous five years.