A Bachelor of Arts degree is a prerequisite for most lucrative and high-profile jobs. It is a way for employers to evaluate their prospective employees' skills and shortlist the best candidates. "A bachelor's degree or equivalent" is a common phrase in a job advertisement. The U.S. Census Bureau calculates the salary of a B.A. recipient at nearly $22,000 over that of a high-school graduate.
In order to undertake courses to earn a Master of Arts (M.A.) and subsequently a Ph.D. title, a Bachelor's degree is a standard requirement. Apart from opening new career opportunities, students see the B.A. as a stepping stone, before moving on to earn their post-graduate degrees. For most Master's courses, a B.A. in a relevant field is an non-negotiable requirement, followed by foreign language skills and -- desirable but not essential -- experience and extracurricular activities. An honors B.A. degree is a strong asset for every M.A. program applicant.
The process of learning can be a reason to urge a student to earn a Bachelor of Arts. Especially for older students, who didn't have the opportunity to study earlier in their life, a B.A. degree has a deeper meaning than a prerequisite for a job or a Master's course. Recipients in this category use their degree as a means of boosting their morale and enhancing their self-esteem.
Since the Bachelor of Arts degree is focused on humanities, graduates are more likely to become more rational and open-minded upon completion of their three or four-year course. As a matter of fact, a report by the Carnegie Foundation has mentioned the individual benefits that result from higher education, including the tendency to become more consistent, more cultured and less authoritarian.