Liberal Arts & Humanitiesat CUNY City College
Graduates earn $43,059/yr in their first year — about 16.0% above the national Liberal Arts & Humanities average. Base-case 10-year earnings $517K; scenarios range from $492K to $517K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at CUNY City College
CUNY City College's Liberal Arts & Humanities graduates start at $43,059/yr — above the $37,172 national average, though not by a wide margin.
With a 17.6x return on in-state tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.
The 5% spread between best and worst-case AI scenarios signals strong resilience. Most career paths mapped to Liberal Arts & Humanities involve work that current AI cannot replicate.
Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $12,250 in median debt clears quickly against $43,059 in annual earnings.
CUNY City College ranks #22 among 424 Liberal Arts & Humanities programs, placing it in the top 5% nationally by our financial outcomes measure.
A 22% earnings increase from $43,059 to $52,617 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to CUNY City College's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Liberal Arts & Humanities
How CUNY City College stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at CUNY City College
Other highest-scoring programs offered at CUNY City College, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Liberal Arts & Humanities offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Liberal Arts & Humanities trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Liberal Arts & Humanities at CUNY City College
What does a 47/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Liberal Arts & Humanities at CUNY City College?
At 47/100, the financial outlook is modest. Higher-scoring Liberal Arts & Humanities programs exist, though non-financial factors may justify this choice.
Is CUNY City College one of the best schools for Liberal Arts & Humanities?
Among 424 Liberal Arts & Humanities programs, CUNY City College's #22 position reflects consistently above-average results across earnings, ROI, and employment probability.
What do students actually pay for Liberal Arts & Humanities at CUNY City College?
The 53% gap between sticker price and net cost means most students pay far less than $29,360. At a net cost of $13,944, the earnings multiple improves substantially.