Study Finds Significant Gender Gap in Job Status and Income for Humanities Degree Holders

Two new studies by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences using data from the U.S. Census Bureau find a major gender gap in occupation status and earning among students who graduate with degrees in the humanities.

In one study, researchers found that 19 percent of women with bachelor’s degrees in the humanities were employed in office or administrative support position. Only 9 percent of men with degrees in these fields held similar jobs. Women with humanities degrees were twice as likely to be employed as K-12 teachers than men with humanities degrees. More than 16 percent of men who held a bachelor’s degree in the humanities were employed in management positions compared to 11.6 percent of women with humanities degrees.

This study, “Gender and the Occupations of Humanities Majors,” may be viewed here.

In the second report, researchers found that for recent college graduates with degrees in the humanities, the median income in 2013 for men who worked full-time was $42,000. This was $2,000 more than the median income of women. For those in the 34-to-54 age group, the gender gap in median income for humanities graduates was $17,000. For those with bachelor’s degrees in humanities and an advanced degree, young men earned $5,000 more on average than young women. For those in the 34-to-54 age group, the gender gap in median income was $18,000.

This report, “Effects of Gender on the Earnings of Humanities Majors,” may be found here.