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Best Liberal Arts & Humanities Programs 2026

Best liberal arts programs ranked by graduate outcomes. See which schools give humanities majors the strongest earning potential.

25 programs ranked
$37,606 avg salary
13 public schools
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RankProgramSchoolStateMedian SalaryAnnual CostValue ScoreBreak-Even
1Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesGeorgetown UniversityDC$74,919$40,815/yr92/1003.8 yr
2English Language and Literature, GeneralGeorgetown UniversityDC$49,812$40,815/yr58/1008.5 yr
3Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesUniversity of ChicagoIL$43,324$18,967/yr79/1006.1 yr
4Romance Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsIowa State UniversityIA$42,285$18,165/yr75/1006.6 yr
5Romance Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsGeorge Washington UniversityDC$42,187$37,454/yr45/10012.9 yr
6Romance Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsUniversity of California-BerkeleyCA$39,997$13,481/yr78/1005.9 yr
7Romance Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsGeorgetown UniversityDC$39,870$40,815/yr35/10017.1 yr
8English Language and Literature, GeneralBoston CollegeMA$36,672$41,704/yr27/10026 yr
9AnthropologyGeorge Washington UniversityDC$36,176$37,454/yr28/10025.5 yr
10Romance Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsUniversity of Southern CaliforniaCA$36,038$31,927/yr33/10022.2 yr
11Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and ServicesUniversity of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignIL$35,846$15,201/yr67/10011.6 yr
12English Language and Literature, GeneralUniversity of ChicagoIL$35,291$18,967/yr59/10015.4 yr
13Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and ServicesUniversity of California-Los AngelesCA$34,901$12,548/yr68/10011.3 yr
14Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesIowa State UniversityIA$34,790$18,165/yr55/10016.9 yr
15Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group StudiesEmory UniversityGA$33,649$23,911/yr40/10028 yr
16English Language and Literature, GeneralGeorge Washington UniversityDC$33,575$37,454/yr25/10044 yr
17English Language and Literature, GeneralIowa State UniversityIA$33,510$18,165/yr49/10023.1 yr
18English Language and Literature, GeneralUniversity of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignIL$33,267$15,201/yr54/10020.8 yr
19Romance Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsUniversity of California-Los AngelesCA$33,059$12,548/yr58/10018.1 yr
20Romance Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsUniversity of FloridaFL$32,896$6,351/yr68/10010.7 yr
21Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesUniversity of Southern CaliforniaCA$31,909$31,927/yr28/10070.3 yr
22Romance Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsUniversity of ArizonaAZ$31,820$15,960/yr51/10039 yr
23English Language and Literature, GeneralUniversity of California-BerkeleyCA$31,616$13,481/yr55/10036.3 yr
24Fine and Studio ArtsUniversity of GeorgiaGA$31,407$13,816/yr54/10044.1 yr
25Romance Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsUniversity of GeorgiaGA$31,338$13,816/yr54/10046.3 yr
1

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

92/100

Georgetown University · Washington, DC

$74,919 median salary$40,815/yr net cost3.8 yr break-even+150% vs. HS diploma
2

English Language and Literature, General

58/100

Georgetown University · Washington, DC

$49,812 median salary$40,815/yr net cost8.5 yr break-even+66% vs. HS diploma
3

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

79/100

University of Chicago · Chicago, IL

$43,324 median salary$18,967/yr net cost6.1 yr break-even+44% vs. HS diploma
4

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

75/100Public

Iowa State University · Ames, IA

$42,285 median salary$18,165/yr net cost6.6 yr break-even+41% vs. HS diploma
5

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

45/100

George Washington University · Washington, DC

$42,187 median salary$37,454/yr net cost12.9 yr break-even+41% vs. HS diploma
6

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

78/100Public

University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA

$39,997 median salary$13,481/yr net cost5.9 yr break-even+33% vs. HS diploma
7

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

35/100

Georgetown University · Washington, DC

$39,870 median salary$40,815/yr net cost17.1 yr break-even+33% vs. HS diploma
8

English Language and Literature, General

27/100

Boston College · Chestnut Hill, MA

$36,672 median salary$41,704/yr net cost26 yr break-even+22% vs. HS diploma
9

Anthropology

28/100

George Washington University · Washington, DC

$36,176 median salary$37,454/yr net cost25.5 yr break-even+21% vs. HS diploma
10

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

33/100

University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA

$36,038 median salary$31,927/yr net cost22.2 yr break-even+20% vs. HS diploma
11

Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services

67/100Public

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · Champaign, IL

$35,846 median salary$15,201/yr net cost11.6 yr break-even+19% vs. HS diploma
12

English Language and Literature, General

59/100

University of Chicago · Chicago, IL

$35,291 median salary$18,967/yr net cost15.4 yr break-even+18% vs. HS diploma
13

Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services

68/100Public

University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA

$34,901 median salary$12,548/yr net cost11.3 yr break-even+16% vs. HS diploma
14

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

55/100Public

Iowa State University · Ames, IA

$34,790 median salary$18,165/yr net cost16.9 yr break-even+16% vs. HS diploma
15

Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies

40/100

Emory University · Atlanta, GA

$33,649 median salary$23,911/yr net cost28 yr break-even+12% vs. HS diploma
16

English Language and Literature, General

25/100

George Washington University · Washington, DC

$33,575 median salary$37,454/yr net cost44 yr break-even+12% vs. HS diploma
17

English Language and Literature, General

49/100Public

Iowa State University · Ames, IA

$33,510 median salary$18,165/yr net cost23.1 yr break-even+12% vs. HS diploma
18

English Language and Literature, General

54/100Public

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · Champaign, IL

$33,267 median salary$15,201/yr net cost20.8 yr break-even+11% vs. HS diploma
19

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

58/100Public

University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA

$33,059 median salary$12,548/yr net cost18.1 yr break-even+10% vs. HS diploma
20

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

68/100Public

University of Florida · Gainesville, FL

$32,896 median salary$6,351/yr net cost10.7 yr break-even+10% vs. HS diploma
21

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

28/100

University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA

$31,909 median salary$31,927/yr net cost70.3 yr break-even+6% vs. HS diploma
22

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

51/100Public

University of Arizona · Tucson, AZ

$31,820 median salary$15,960/yr net cost39 yr break-even+6% vs. HS diploma
23

English Language and Literature, General

55/100Public

University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA

$31,616 median salary$13,481/yr net cost36.3 yr break-even+5% vs. HS diploma
24

Fine and Studio Arts

54/100Public

University of Georgia · Athens, GA

$31,407 median salary$13,816/yr net cost44.1 yr break-even+5% vs. HS diploma
25

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

54/100Public

University of Georgia · Athens, GA

$31,338 median salary$13,816/yr net cost46.3 yr break-even+4% vs. HS diploma

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See how different liberal arts & humanities programs stack up on cost, salary, and graduation rates.

Compare SchoolsOverall Rankings

Rankings are based on data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Programs are ranked by median earnings 1 year after completion. Data reflects bachelor's degree programs only.