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Major · Liberal Arts & Sciences

The degree that keeps your options open longer than most

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other covers programs in this family that don't fit the named CIP categories — think interdisciplinary, self-designed, or hybrid tracks. About 19,655 degrees are awarded annually across 388 colleges, primarily at the associate's level, making this a common path through community college.

Schools offering
388
Annual completions
19,655
Typical degree level
Associate's + Bachelor's
Median earnings (5yr)
$47k

About this major

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other is a CIP catch-all — the 24.0199 code covers any program in this family that doesn't fit the named categories like Liberal Studies, General Studies, or Humanities/Humanistic Studies. In practice, these are often interdisciplinary, self-designed, or hybrid tracks that blend coursework across humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences without a single defining discipline. Expect reading-heavy courses in history, philosophy, literature, and writing alongside introductory-level work in social or natural sciences. The defining feature is breadth without mandatory specialization.

The major exists almost entirely at the associate's level in terms of actual completions. Of the 19,655 degrees awarded annually across 388 colleges, the top completers are institutions like University of Maryland Global Campus (2,577), Ivy Tech Community College (1,387), and Kent State University at Stark (1,206) — community colleges and open-enrollment universities that grant associate's degrees as a primary credential. Bachelor's-level completion in this specific program code is small. That distribution shapes what the credential actually does: for most students, it functions as an associate's degree in general studies by another name.

Because the CIP code covers programs with no shared occupational target, the data doesn't attach specific career pathways to this major the way it does for, say, nursing or computer science. The earning profile reflects that: five-year median earnings run about $46,704 overall, with associate's completers averaging $43,213 and the smaller bachelor's cohort averaging $53,600. These are honest numbers for a generalist credential, and the most common use case — completing lower-division requirements at low cost before transferring to a defined four-year program — is where the credential tends to generate the most return.

Section 3 · Careers

Where this major leads

Occupations most often associated with this major, from the federal BLS+O*NET crosswalk. Job-growth projections and median wages are national.

No federal crosswalk data available for this major yet.

Section 4 · Earnings

Earnings at a glance

Median graduate earnings from the federal College Scorecard, 5 and 10 years out.

Median 5-year earnings

$47k

Associate's vs Bachelor's — early-career earnings

Associate's

$43k

Bachelor's

$54k

Who this major is for

You may thrive here if your immediate goal is to complete lower-division college requirements efficiently before transferring to a four-year institution, and you're still undecided about your ultimate field of study. You may also fit well here if you're a returning adult student who needs a credential quickly, values schedule flexibility, and is attending one of the many community colleges or open-enrollment institutions that offer this type of program. Students who enjoy engaging across multiple disciplines rather than committing to a single subject early — and who find that breadth stimulating rather than directionless — tend to get real intellectual value from the coursework.

Think twice if you're expecting this credential alone to open a defined career door — no specific occupational pathway is attached to this major, and the five-year median earnings of $46,704 reflect that. Think twice also if you're planning to stop at the associate's level and enter the workforce directly without a follow-on plan; the $43,213 median for associate's completers is workable but limited, and most higher-earning outcomes in this earnings range come from students who used the associate's as a bridge. And if you're choosing between this program and the named alternatives in the same family — Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies (255,855 completions) or General Studies (103,103 completions) — check whether transfer articulation agreements and program structure differ at your specific institution before defaulting to this code.

Section 6 · Where to study

Top colleges for Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other

Ranked by annual completions at the associate's or bachelor's level — a proxy for program scale.

College Location Assoc. Bach. Total
University of Maryland Global Campus Adelphi, MD 2,543 34 2,577
Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis, IN 1,387 0 1,387
Kent State University at Stark North Canton, OH 1,203 3 1,206
Southern New Hampshire University Manchester, NH 715 0 715
Montgomery College Rockville, MD 693 0 693
Community College of Baltimore County Baltimore, MD 507 0 507
Ozarks Technical Community College Springfield, MO 465 0 465
Anne Arundel Community College Arnold, MD 404 0 404
Fayetteville Technical Community College Fayetteville, NC 374 0 374
Prince George's Community College Largo, MD 330 0 330
Section 7 · Explore sideways

Related majors to explore

Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies

255,855 completions/yr

General Studies

103,103 completions/yr

Humanities/Humanistic Studies

21,472 completions/yr

Fine Arts and Art Studies, Other

418 completions/yr

Digital Humanities and Textual Studies, Other

2 completions/yr
Section 9 · Frequently asked

Common questions

What do students in this major actually study day-to-day?
Because this CIP code covers programs not fitting the other named categories in the liberal arts and general studies family, the curriculum varies significantly by institution. In practice, most of these programs blend humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences without requiring deep specialization in any one discipline. You might take courses in writing, history, philosophy, political science, and introductory sciences in the same semester. The emphasis is on breadth and critical thinking rather than technical depth.
Is this a two-year or four-year degree?
Both exist, but the associate's is far more common. Of the 19,655 annual completions, the overwhelming majority come from associate's-granting programs — schools like University of Maryland Global Campus (2,577 completions), Ivy Tech Community College (1,387), and Kent State University at Stark (1,206) lead the list, most granting associate's degrees. The bachelor's completion track for this specific CIP is small. Five-year median earnings show associate's completers at roughly $43,213 and bachelor's completers at about $53,600 — a gap that exists but is not as large as in more career-defined majors.
What kinds of jobs do graduates from this major end up in?
There's no direct career pipeline attached to this specific program — the data packet lists no associated occupations, which is honest about the nature of the credential. Graduates enter a wide range of fields, typically in roles where a degree is required but the specific field of study matters less than demonstrated analytical and communication skills. Common destinations include administrative roles, human services, retail management, and public-sector support positions. Students who go on to earn a bachelor's in a more specific field tend to see stronger defined career outcomes.
Is this a good path if I plan to transfer to a four-year program?
Yes — and this is where the credential is most strategically useful. An associate's in this area at a community college can satisfy general education requirements that transfer to four-year institutions, especially within state systems. If you're undecided about your eventual major, starting here keeps your options open while you complete lower-division coursework. The key is to confirm transfer articulation agreements with your target four-year college before enrolling, since credit portability varies significantly by state and institution.
How does this major compare to Liberal Arts/Liberal Studies or General Studies?
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies (CIP 24.0101) accounts for 255,855 completions annually — more than thirteen times the volume of this category — and General Studies (24.0102) adds another 103,103. Those two are the main programs in this family; this 'Other' code captures everything that doesn't fit the standard categories. In practical terms, this major is structurally similar to the others in the concentration group, with similar earning profiles and outcomes. The scale difference matters if you're comparing transfer resources and employer recognition — the larger-volume programs tend to be better known.
What's a realistic earnings picture after this degree?
Five-year median earnings for this major run about $46,704 across degree levels. The associate's cohort averages roughly $43,213; the bachelor's cohort around $53,600. These figures put this major in the lower range of bachelor's-level earnings nationally — roughly comparable to other general liberal arts tracks. The earnings case for this credential depends almost entirely on what you do after: students who use it as a transfer bridge to a more career-defined four-year major are likely to see better outcomes than those who stop at the associate's and enter the workforce directly without a follow-on plan.