Liberal Arts & Humanitiesat San Diego State University
Graduates earn $23,190/yr in their first year — about 38.0% below the national Liberal Arts & Humanities average. Base-case 10-year earnings $635K; scenarios range from $610K to $635K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at San Diego State
Your general studies degree from SDSU offers a broad, interdisciplinary foundation, a strength that also presents a unique challenge in the San Diego job market. While the university has a strong regional reputation, its economy is heavily driven by tech, biotech, and defense, which often favor more specialized degrees. Graduates from this program frequently find themselves in roles across non-profits, local government, or entry-level positions in diverse sectors where critical thinking and communication are valued, but direct career pipelines are less defined.
This breadth means you aren't immediately funneled into a specific high-earning industry. To maximize your financial outlook, you'll need to be proactive: aggressively pursue internships, consider a minor or certificate in a more vocational field like business or communications, or clearly articulate how your transferable skills align with specific employer needs. Your degree provides flexibility, but it requires you to actively shape your professional narrative.
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 San Diego State'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 San Diego State stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at San Diego State
Other highest-scoring programs offered at San Diego State, 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 San Diego State
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Liberal Arts & Humanities at San Diego State University?
A score of 33/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Liberal Arts & Humanities. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Can you still earn well with Liberal Arts & Humanities from San Diego State University?
First-year earnings trail the national median, but starting salary isn't the full picture. Regional cost of living, career trajectory, and tuition cost all factor in. Check the five-year earnings data when available.