What Is a BA Degree and What Can You Do With It?

A Bachelor of Arts degree is one of the most versatile credentials in higher education, and it remains a gateway to dozens of careers that reward communication, critical thinking, and cultural fluency. If you have ever wondered what a BA degree actually represents, how it differs from a BS, and whether it is worth your time and money, the short answer is this: a BA trains you to think broadly, write clearly, and adapt quickly, which are exactly the skills employers say they cannot find in sufficient supply. This article breaks down the BA in plain language, then maps out the specific jobs, salaries, and graduate school paths that open up once you hold one.

What Exactly Is a BA Degree?

A Bachelor of Arts, usually abbreviated BA or B.A., is a four-year undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities in the United States and many other countries. It typically requires about 120 semester credit hours, split between general education courses, a major, electives, and sometimes a minor. The word "Arts" does not mean you only study painting or music. It comes from the Latin artes liberales, the liberal arts, which historically included grammar, logic, rhetoric, arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy. In modern practice, a BA signals that you completed a broad curriculum grounded in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, with a major that gives you depth in one field.

The BA is usually compared with the Bachelor of Science, or BS. Both are four-year degrees and both are respected by employers and graduate schools. The difference is emphasis. A BS usually requires more math, lab science, and technical coursework in the major. A BA usually requires more foreign language, writing, and humanities coursework, and it often gives you more room for a second major, a minor, or a semester abroad. Neither is inherently better. A BA in Economics and a BS in Economics can both lead to the same finance job. A BA in Biology and a BS in Biology can both lead to medical school, though the BS may require more advanced science prerequisites. The right choice depends on your goals, your strengths, and how you want to spend your elective credits.

It also helps to know where a BA fits in the larger degree landscape. Associate degrees take about two years and often lead to skilled trades or transfer pathways. Bachelor's degrees, including both the BA and the BS, take about four years and are the standard entry credential for most professional and managerial roles. Master's and doctoral degrees come after the bachelor's. If you are exploring options and want to compare accredited programs side by side, a matching service such as DegreesOnline.Education can help you filter by field, format, and cost before you commit. Students who want a health-care credential rather than a liberal arts path can also review this medical coding bachelor's degree career guide to see how a specialized bachelor's compares.

BA vs BS: Which One Should You Choose?

The BA versus BS decision is less about prestige and more about fit. Employers rarely reject a candidate because the diploma says Arts instead of Science. What they care about is whether you can do the work. That said, there are practical differences worth weighing before you declare a major.

Consider these factors when you compare the two degree types:

• Coursework: A BA usually requires more writing, language, and humanities courses. A BS usually requires more math, statistics, and laboratory science.
• Flexibility: A BA often leaves more free electives, which makes it easier to add a minor, a second language, or an internship-heavy semester.
• Graduate school alignment: Some graduate programs, especially in engineering, physics, and certain health fields, prefer or require the BS. Law school, business school, and many humanities PhD programs accept either.
• Career direction: Fields such as software engineering, nursing, and actuarial science tend to favor the BS. Fields such as journalism, public relations, international relations, and education tend to favor the BA, though exceptions are common.

There is also a middle path. Many universities offer a Bachelor of Arts in a technical field, such as a BA in Computer Science, which pairs coding skills with a broader liberal arts foundation. Others offer a Bachelor of Science in a traditionally artsy field, such as a BS in Psychology with a research focus. The label matters less than the specific courses on your transcript and the skills you can demonstrate in an interview or portfolio.

Common BA Majors and What They Teach You

The range of BA majors is enormous, but most fall into a handful of families. Each one builds a slightly different skill set, and each one connects to a different set of entry-level jobs.

English and literature majors spend four years analyzing texts, constructing arguments, and revising prose. They graduate with strong writing and editing skills, which is why they show up in publishing, marketing, law, and content strategy. History majors learn to evaluate sources, trace cause and effect, and write persuasively about complex events. They often move into education, government, museums, and law. Psychology majors study human behavior, research methods, and statistics, which prepares them for counseling, human resources, market research, and graduate study in clinical or industrial-organizational psychology.

Political science and international relations majors focus on institutions, policy, and global systems. They commonly enter government, nonprofits, lobbying, journalism, and law school. Sociology and anthropology majors examine culture, inequality, and social structures, which leads to careers in social work, community organizing, public health, and user research. Communications majors study media, rhetoric, and persuasion, and they often land in public relations, advertising, social media management, and corporate communications. Fine arts, music, and theater majors develop creative discipline and performance skills, and they work in design, entertainment, arts administration, and education.

What ties these majors together is not a single job title. It is a cluster of transferable skills: clear writing, close reading, research, analysis, and the ability to present an argument to a skeptical audience. Those skills are durable. They survive industry shifts, automation, and economic downturns better than many narrow technical skills, because they apply to almost any problem that involves people and information.

What Can You Do With a BA Degree? Career Paths and Salaries

The honest answer is: almost anything that does not require a specific license. A BA does not lock you into one industry. It gives you a credential that satisfies the "bachelor's degree required" line on thousands of job postings, then lets your experience, portfolio, and networking determine how far you go.

Here are some of the most common career paths for BA graduates, along with typical entry-level salary ranges based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and industry reporting:

• Marketing and advertising: Marketing coordinator, content strategist, social media manager, brand assistant. Entry-level salaries often range from $45,000 to $65,000.
• Writing and editing: Copywriter, technical writer, editor, communications specialist. Entry-level salaries often range from $45,000 to $70,000, with technical writing paying at the higher end.
• Human resources: HR assistant, recruiter, training coordinator, benefits specialist. Entry-level salaries often range from $45,000 to $65,000.
• Education: Teaching, curriculum support, student services, educational technology. Public school teaching usually requires a state license, which may mean additional coursework or a master's degree. Salaries vary widely by state, often starting between $40,000 and $60,000.
• Government and public policy: Policy analyst, legislative aide, program coordinator, city planner assistant. Entry-level salaries often range from $45,000 to $70,000.
• Nonprofit and social services: Case manager, development associate, program coordinator, community outreach specialist. Entry-level salaries often range from $40,000 to $60,000.
• Business and management: Management trainee, operations coordinator, sales representative, customer success associate. Entry-level salaries often range from $45,000 to $70,000, with sales offering commission upside.
• Technology and UX: User experience researcher, content designer, product support specialist, project coordinator. Entry-level salaries often range from $55,000 to $85,000, depending on the company and location.

These ranges are starting points, not ceilings. A BA graduate who adds a professional certificate, a portfolio, or two years of relevant experience can move into roles paying $80,000 or more within five years. The key is to treat the degree as a foundation, not a finish line. Internships, part-time work in your target field, and networking all raise your starting salary more than the specific major on your diploma.

Graduate School and Professional Degrees After a BA

Many BA graduates continue their education, and the liberal arts background is excellent preparation for advanced study. Law schools value the reading, writing, and argumentation skills that BA programs build. A 2023 analysis by the Law School Admission Council found that philosophy, English, history, and political science majors often outperform pre-law majors on the LSAT, though outcomes vary by student. Business schools accept BA graduates in economics, psychology, communications, and other fields, provided they complete the required quantitative prerequisites.

Master's programs in public health, social work, education, counseling, and public administration routinely admit BA graduates. Some of these programs require specific prerequisite courses, such as statistics or introduction to psychology, which you can often complete as an undergraduate elective or through a community college before you apply. Doctoral programs in the humanities and social sciences almost always require a bachelor's degree, and they look for evidence of research potential, which a BA thesis or independent study can provide.

If you already know you want a graduate degree, choose your BA major with that goal in mind. A future clinical psychologist might major in psychology and minor in statistics. A future law student might major in philosophy and take courses in constitutional law. A future MBA might major in economics and add a minor in data analytics. The BA is flexible enough to accommodate all of these plans, but only if you plan deliberately.

Is a BA Degree Worth It? Cost, Time, and Return on Investment

The value of a BA depends on how you use it and how much you pay for it. According to the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, bachelor's degree holders earn, on average, about $1 million more over a lifetime than high school graduates, though that figure varies dramatically by major, institution, and region. The same research shows that some majors, such as engineering and computer science, have higher lifetime earnings than others, such as fine arts and education. That does not mean the lower-earning majors are worthless. It means the financial return depends on the combination of major, skills, and career choices.

Cost is the other half of the equation. The average published tuition at a private four-year college now exceeds $40,000 per year, while in-state public universities often cost $10,000 to $12,000 per year before financial aid. Online BA programs can be even more affordable, and they let you keep working while you study. Many adult learners and career changers choose an accredited online BA specifically because it reduces opportunity cost, the income you give up while enrolled. If you are comparing programs, look at total cost of attendance, not just sticker tuition, and check whether the school is regionally accredited, which is the standard employers and graduate schools recognize.

To improve your return on investment, consider these strategies:

1. Start at a community college. Completing general education requirements at a lower cost and transferring to a four-year school can cut total tuition significantly.
2. Choose an in-state public university. Public institutions often deliver the same credential at a fraction of the private school price.
3. Look for online and hybrid options. Accredited online BA programs often charge per credit hour and let you accelerate or slow down as your schedule allows.
4. Apply for every scholarship and grant you qualify for. Federal Pell Grants, state grants, and institutional scholarships do not need to be repaid.
5. Work while you study. Part-time jobs, internships, and paid co-ops offset costs and build your resume at the same time.

The BA is not a guarantee of a high salary, and it is not the right choice for everyone. Students who want to enter a licensed trade quickly may be better served by an associate degree or a certificate program. Students who want to become engineers or nurses may be better served by a BS. But for the large majority of students who want a flexible credential that opens doors across industries, the BA remains one of the most reliable investments in higher education.

How to Choose the Right BA Program

Once you decide a BA is right for you, the next step is choosing a program. The decision affects your cost, your schedule, and your career options, so it deserves more than a quick search. Start by identifying your academic interests and your target career. If you want to work in publishing, look for programs with strong writing and internship pipelines. If you want to work in international development, look for programs with language requirements and study abroad options. If you want to move into management, look for programs with business electives or a minor in management.

Then evaluate the practical details. Accreditation is non-negotiable: regional accreditation is the gold standard, and it is what allows you to transfer credits and qualify for federal financial aid. Cost matters, but so does completion rate, career services, and alumni outcomes. Ask each school for its graduation rate, its job placement rate for your intended major, and its average student loan debt. If you are considering online study, ask how exams are proctored, how much interaction you get with instructors, and whether the diploma is identical to the on-campus version.

Finally, do not overlook fit. You will spend four years, or the equivalent, in this program. A school that supports working adults, offers flexible scheduling, and provides strong advising will keep you on track when life gets complicated. A school that feels impersonal or disorganized will make it harder to finish. Visit campus if you can, attend a virtual information session if you cannot, and talk to current students or alumni before you enroll.

A BA degree is a starting point, not a verdict. It tells employers that you can commit to a long project, think across disciplines, and communicate what you learn. What you do with it is up to you. Whether you become a teacher, a marketing director, a policy analyst, or an entrepreneur, the skills you build in a BA program will keep paying dividends long after the diploma is framed. If you are ready to explore accredited programs that fit your budget and schedule, start with a comparison tool, ask questions, and take the next step when you are ready.