The Decline of the Humanities Major: Why STEM is Cannibalizing the Liberal Arts

College campuses are undergoing a massive transformation. Walk through a university today, and you will see packed computer science halls while English and history departments struggle to fill seats. As tuition costs soar, students are aggressively prioritizing science, technology, engineering, and math programs to guarantee immediate job placement and high starting salaries.

The Hard Numbers: Tracking the Humanities Exodus

The drop in liberal arts majors is steep and measurable. Data from the National Center for Education Statistics shows exactly how far these numbers have fallen. Between 2012 and 2020, the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded in history dropped by nearly 35 percent. English degrees suffered a similar fate, falling by a third during the same period.

At major institutions across the country, fewer than one in ten students now choose a humanities major. In the early 2000s, subjects like literature, philosophy, and foreign languages were seen as standard paths to a well-rounded education. Today, students view them as financial risks. Young adults face an average of $37,000 in student loan debt upon graduation. Because of this massive financial burden, incoming freshmen are looking at college strictly as a vocational training ground.

The Rise of STEM and the ROI Calculation

While the humanities shrink, STEM fields are experiencing explosive growth. Computer science is the clearest example of this shift. According to the Computing Research Association, the number of computer science majors more than doubled between 2013 and 2020. Engineering, business, and nursing programs are seeing similar surges in enrollment across both public and private institutions.

The primary reason for this shift comes down to the return on investment. Students want absolute proof that their degree will lead to a secure paycheck. The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) tracks starting salaries for new graduates. When looking at projected average starting salaries for the class of 2023, the financial gap becomes incredibly obvious:

  • Computer Science: $72,843 average starting salary
  • Engineering: $74,405 average starting salary
  • Math and Sciences: $67,199 average starting salary
  • Humanities: $45,000 to $50,000 average starting salary

When an 18-year-old is deciding how to spend $100,000 or more on tuition, that $25,000 gap in starting pay makes the decision easy. They choose the major that promises immediate financial security.

Universities Are Cutting Their Losses

Universities are reacting to this shift in student demand by slashing their own budgets. Colleges cannot afford to keep tenured professors on staff for classes with only five students. As a result, schools are making drastic cuts to traditional liberal arts programs.

In 2023, West Virginia University (WVU) announced a massive budget shortfall of $45 million. To fix the deficit, the university proposed cutting 169 faculty positions and eliminating 28 academic programs. The administration targeted the entire Department of World Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, alongside certain theater and upper-level math programs.

Smaller private schools are taking similar actions. Marymount University in Virginia made headlines in 2023 when its board of trustees voted to eliminate several legacy humanities majors. The school cut bachelor’s degree programs in English, history, philosophy, and theology. Marymount administrators pointed to chronically low enrollment as the primary reason. They stated the university needed to reallocate funds to programs with higher student interest, like cybersecurity and nursing.

Are We Losing Something Essential?

The pivot to STEM makes perfect financial sense for the individual student. However, educators and business leaders worry about the long-term effects of a workforce trained exclusively in technical skills.

Humanities programs teach students how to read complex texts, build logical arguments, and communicate clearly. These are highly prized skills in the corporate world. In fact, many major tech executives actually come from liberal arts backgrounds. Stewart Butterfield, the co-founder of Slack, holds degrees in philosophy from the University of Victoria and Cambridge. Susan Wojcicki, the former CEO of YouTube, studied history and literature at Harvard.

Employers frequently complain that while new hires know how to code, they struggle to write a clear email, present an idea to a room, or exercise ethical judgment. A 2022 survey by the American Association of Colleges and Universities found that employers place a premium on critical thinking and oral communication. These are the exact skills honed in history and literature seminars. Furthermore, as artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT automate basic coding and technical tasks, human skills like empathy and complex reasoning may become even more valuable.

The Future of the College Degree

Despite the pleas of corporate recruiters who want well-rounded employees, the current trend shows no signs of reversing. High school guidance counselors and parents are actively steering teenagers away from the humanities. State governments are also getting involved. In places like Texas and Florida, state legislatures are funneling higher education funding specifically toward programs that align directly with high-demand workforce needs.

To survive, English and history departments are attempting to rebrand. Some universities are creating hybrid majors. For example, a student might major in Digital Humanities or combine a traditional history degree with a minor in data science. By attaching a technical skill to a reading-heavy degree, departments hope to show students that they can study what they love and still get hired.

Until the cost of a college education drops significantly, the liberal arts will likely remain on the defensive. Students will continue to calculate their exact return on investment, leaving Shakespeare on the shelf in favor of Python and Java.

Frequently Asked Questions

Business remains the most popular college major in the United States. Following business, students heavily favor healthcare professions like nursing, psychology, biological sciences, and engineering. Computer science is also rapidly climbing the list of top undergraduate degrees.

Do humanities majors have higher unemployment rates?

Humanities majors do not necessarily have high unemployment rates, but they often experience higher rates of underemployment. This means a graduate with an English degree might work in a job that does not require a bachelor’s degree, such as retail management or basic administration, especially early in their career.

Why is college tuition driving students toward STEM?

The average cost of tuition at a private four-year college is over $39,000 per year. Public universities average around $11,000 per year for in-state students. Because students are taking out massive loans to cover these rising costs, they feel intense pressure to choose majors with high starting salaries to ensure they can pay off their debt.

Can you get a job in tech with a liberal arts degree?

Yes. Tech companies hire liberal arts majors for roles in human resources, marketing, technical writing, software sales, and user experience research. Tech companies need employees who understand human behavior and can communicate clearly, making psychology, sociology, and English majors valuable assets to these teams.