Lasting Skills, Better Pay
Income after graduation remains the clearest defense of higher education’s value. Bachelor’s holders in their twenties earn a median of $60,000 compared with $36,000 for high school graduates, a gap that widens across careers. Engineering and computer science begin above $76,000, yet liberal arts colleges chart a different path. Their graduates often pursue advanced study, sustaining long-term earnings gains. At Pomona College, 81% of alumni enter graduate or professional programs within ten years. Law schools are also ascendant, with applications up 18% and 2024 JDs securing 93% employment within ten months. Employers continue to prize analysis, communication, and adaptability—skills the liberal arts cultivate. Even amid rising skepticism over tuition, the blend of income growth and intellectual breadth remains persuasive.
Reuters | NACE Salary Projections
Honoré Daumier, Les Gens de Justice, c. 1845. Public domain.