A bachelor's degree opens up many more job opportunities, and people with Bachelor of Arts degrees, on average, make more than people with associate degrees or high school diplomas. The Bureau of Labor Statistics, for example, reports that those with a bachelor's degree make $414 more per week than people with just a high school diploma. The unemployment rate of high school graduates is almost double the rate of those who graduate college, according to the BLS.
In addition to classes for your major, your school will require you to take core classes, which provide a strong background in the humanities. You'll likely have to take courses in English, writing, a foreign language and history, as well as courses in math and science. These courses provide you with a well-rounded education that gives you the skills you'll need to excel in a variety of humanities-related careers. Your degree serves as evidence that you have basic reading, writing and analytical skills.
No matter what you're interested in, there's likely a Bachelor of Arts degree related to it. B.A. majors include possibilities such as philosophy, English, history, sociology, gender and ethnic studies, foreign languages, literature, art and music. B.A. degrees tend to yield less income than B.S. degrees, and the 10 highest-earning majors are Bachelors of Science degrees, according to "Time." However, B.A. degrees such as architecture and advertising tend to yield higher than average salaries.
Your time spent pursuing your degree offers valuable networking opportunities. Not only will you meet people in your own department, you'll also have the opportunity to get to know professors and students in other departments as you pursue your core requirements. This can make it easier to get recommendations for graduate school and to find job leads and internships. Academic societies can also serve as helpful networking opportunities, and you may want to enroll in an organization related to your major.