2026 What Can You Do With a General Studies Degree?

by Imed Bouchrika, PhD

Co-Founder and Chief Data Scientist

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Can you go to graduate school with a general studies degree?

Yes. A general studies degree can qualify you for graduate school, but admission depends on the program, your transcript, prerequisite coursework, grades, recommendations, test requirements if applicable, work history, and how well you explain your academic direction. Graduate schools do not evaluate the major name alone; they look for evidence that you can succeed in advanced study.

The strongest applicants use their general studies background strategically. For example, they may choose electives in business, psychology, education, public administration, communication, or another area that aligns with the graduate program they want to enter. They may also build relevant experience through internships, employment, volunteer work, research projects, or certifications.

Some graduate programs may require additional foundation courses. An applicant interested in a Master's in Business Administration (MBA), for instance, might be asked to complete introductory business coursework before or after admission. Programs in counseling, health sciences, engineering, data science, or teaching may have more specific prerequisite or licensure requirements.

Master's and doctoral degree holders have the lowest unemployment rates. That does not mean graduate school is automatically the right next step. Before enrolling, compare tuition, prerequisites, time commitment, licensure outcomes, and expected career value.

How flexible is a general studies degree for changing careers later?

A general studies degree can be useful for career changers because it emphasizes transferable skills rather than preparing students for one fixed occupation. Students often take courses across humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, communication, and professional electives. This creates a foundation that can apply to business, public service, education support, administrative work, customer operations, and nonprofit roles.

The flexibility is similar to other broad academic pathways. For example, people who ask what you can do with a humanities degree often find that the answer depends less on the degree title and more on writing ability, critical thinking, workplace experience, and the ability to explain how their education applies to a specific role.

Career changes are easier when the new field values general competencies. Moving into management, marketing coordination, sales, customer success, HR support, or administrative operations may be realistic with experience and targeted upskilling. Moving into fields such as information technology, engineering, nursing, accounting, teaching licensure, or clinical practice usually requires specific courses, exams, credentials, or graduate programs.

The degree gives you room to pivot, but it does not replace field-specific preparation. A successful career change usually requires a bridge: a certificate, portfolio, internship, industry credential, or strategically chosen graduate program.

What skills do you gain with a general studies degree?

A general studies program is designed to develop broad academic and professional skills. These skills can matter in roles where employees must understand information quickly, communicate with different audiences, coordinate tasks, and solve problems without relying on one narrow technical specialty.

• Critical thinking: Students learn to compare evidence, question assumptions, and evaluate issues from more than one perspective.
• Written and verbal communication: Coursework often requires essays, presentations, discussions, and reports, helping students explain ideas clearly.
• Problem-solving: Because the curriculum spans multiple subjects, students practice applying different approaches to practical and academic challenges.
• Research and information literacy: Graduates learn how to locate sources, assess credibility, synthesize findings, and present conclusions.
• Time management: Balancing different types of assignments helps students plan, prioritize, and meet deadlines.
• Collaboration: Group work, class discussion, and interdisciplinary projects can build teamwork and coordination skills.
• Cultural awareness: Exposure to different fields and viewpoints can improve empathy, context, and communication with diverse groups.

These abilities are valuable in business, education support, public service, healthcare administration, nonprofit work, and client-facing fields. They can also transfer to areas such as real estate jobs, where communication, judgment, negotiation, and client trust are central to the work.

How to make these skills visible to employers

A common mistake is listing “communication” or “critical thinking” without proof. Employers respond better to examples. Instead of saying you have research skills, describe a project where you analyzed information and presented recommendations. Instead of saying you are organized, show how you coordinated schedules, managed records, improved a process, or supported a team.

What is the average salary for a general studies degree graduate?

Salary outcomes for general studies graduates vary widely because the degree can lead to many different occupations. Pay depends on degree level, industry, job function, location, experience, employer, and whether the graduate adds specialized skills or credentials. A general studies degree does not guarantee a specific salary.

Average salaries by degree level

Industry and role considerations

Graduates who move into operations, project coordination, sales management, administrative leadership, or supervisory roles may earn more than graduates who remain in entry-level support positions. Managerial tracks can vary substantially; for comparison, role-specific guides such as this overview of accounting manager salary show how specialized responsibilities can affect compensation.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for liberal arts degree holders is approximately $55,000, though this can differ based on the specific field and job market. Because general studies is broad, the smartest way to evaluate earning potential is to identify target job titles first, then research salary data for those roles in your location.

Is a general studies degree respected like other bachelor’s degrees?

A general studies degree is a legitimate college credential when it comes from an accredited institution. However, employer perception depends on the job. In roles that require a bachelor’s degree but do not specify a major, the degree may be viewed similarly to other broad liberal arts or interdisciplinary degrees. In technical, clinical, engineering, accounting, or licensure-driven fields, employers may prefer or require a specialized major.

The degree’s value often depends on how you present it. If you describe it only as a broad program, employers may be unsure what you can do. If you connect your coursework to a clear career direction—such as communication, business operations, HR support, public service, or project coordination—the degree becomes easier to understand.

Graduates can improve how the degree is perceived by adding internships, certifications, minors, concentrations, work experience, or graduate study. Comparisons with related pathways, such as interdisciplinary studies salary, can also help students understand how broad degree programs may translate into varied career outcomes.

Can you get a general studies degree online?

Yes. Many colleges and universities offer online general studies degrees at the associate and bachelor’s levels. Online formats are especially common for students who already have college credits and want a flexible path to degree completion.

An online general studies program may include courses in humanities, social sciences, communication, natural sciences, business, education, health-related topics, or other elective areas. Some programs are fully online, while others use a hybrid format. Courses may be asynchronous, meaning you complete work on your own schedule, or synchronous, meaning you attend scheduled virtual sessions.

This format can be useful for working adults, parents, transfer students, and military-connected learners. Students comparing flexible options may also want to review resources on online colleges for military spouses and dependents, especially if relocation, benefits, or scheduling flexibility are important.

Online vs. campus general studies programs

Online does not automatically mean easier. The best online programs provide clear advising, strong transfer-credit policies, career support, accessible faculty, and a curriculum that lets students build a focused academic plan.

What should you look for in a general studies degree program?

The right general studies program should do more than let you collect random credits. It should help you create a coherent degree plan tied to career goals, graduate school requirements, or degree-completion needs. Before enrolling, compare programs carefully.

• Accreditation: Choose an accredited institution so your credits and degree are more likely to be recognized by employers, graduate schools, and financial aid providers. Students comparing flexible options can review programs such as a top interdisciplinary studies online degree to understand how broad academic pathways are structured.
• Curriculum design: Look for electives, minors, concentrations, or focus areas that let you build a recognizable pathway rather than a scattered transcript.
• Advising and career support: Strong advising can help you choose courses that support employment, graduate school, or transfer goals. Career services can help with resumes, interviews, internships, and job searches.
• Class experience: Review average class size, faculty access, course format, and whether online students receive the same support as campus students.
• Transfer-credit policy: If you already have college credits, ask how many will apply to the degree, whether there are residency requirements, and whether old credits expire.
• Experiential learning: Internships, capstones, service learning, workplace projects, or portfolio assignments can make a broad degree more career-relevant.
• Graduate school alignment: If you plan to pursue a master’s degree, check whether the program allows you to complete prerequisite courses in your intended field.

Questions to ask before choosing a program

Interns get to earn the following amounts as their starting salaries:

Is financing your general studies degree a viable option?

Financing a general studies degree can be viable, but only if the total cost fits your career plan. Because the degree is broad, students should be especially careful about borrowing more than their likely job path can support. Compare tuition, fees, transfer-credit acceptance, textbook costs, technology costs, transportation if applicable, and the time you may need to spend out of the workforce.

Start with lower-cost funding sources when possible: institutional scholarships, federal aid, work-study, employer tuition assistance, military or veteran education benefits if applicable, and grants. Private loans should be evaluated cautiously because repayment terms may be less flexible.

Accreditation matters for financing. It can affect whether you qualify for federal aid and whether the degree is recognized by employers or graduate schools. Flexible payment plans, transfer credits, and accelerated degree-completion options can also reduce the amount you need to borrow.

If you already have a bachelor’s degree or need targeted skills instead of another full degree, a shorter credential may be more cost-effective. For example, students seeking focused postgraduate training may compare options such as the cheapest online graduate certificate programs before committing to a longer program.

Ways to reduce the cost of a general studies degree

• Ask for a transfer-credit evaluation before enrolling.
• Choose electives that count toward a career goal or graduate prerequisite instead of taking unrelated courses.
• Compare online, in-state, community college, and degree-completion options.
• Use employer tuition assistance if available.
• Complete the FAFSA if you are eligible for federal aid.
• Avoid borrowing for living costs unless you have no realistic alternative.
• Confirm that the program’s format allows you to keep working if employment is part of your financial plan.

Who should major in general studies?

A general studies major can be a smart choice for students who need flexibility, already have credits in multiple subjects, or want a broad education that can support several career directions. It is often strongest as a degree-completion pathway rather than as a substitute for a specialized professional program.

The best candidates for this major are intentional. They do not treat general studies as a default option; they use it to assemble a practical academic plan. That may mean choosing business electives for management roles, communication courses for marketing or public relations, psychology and sociology courses for human services, or public administration courses for government and nonprofit work.

How do general studies graduates use their degree in the workforce?

General studies graduates often use their degree as a foundation for roles that require coordination, communication, judgment, and adaptability. Many enter administrative services, management support, human resources, sales, customer service, marketing support, nonprofit operations, or public-facing roles. These positions may not require a single specialized major, but they do require employees who can write clearly, work with people, organize information, and learn new systems.

Some graduates use the degree to qualify for promotions. For working adults, simply completing a bachelor’s degree can remove an educational barrier for supervisory or professional roles. Others use the degree as a bridge into graduate school, industry certifications, or employer-sponsored training.

The broad nature of the degree can also help graduates move across industries. However, career mobility usually depends on experience and additional preparation. For example, a person moving from customer service into healthcare administration may need knowledge of medical terminology, compliance, or health systems. Someone moving into technology may need technical coursework, projects, or certifications.

Broad degrees can lead to diverse outcomes, but they work best when paired with a plan. Looking at very different academic pathways, such as careers with a biochemistry degree, can be a useful reminder that the relationship between a major and a job is not always simple. Specialized degrees may point more directly to certain fields, while general studies degrees require students to define and market their direction more actively.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Choosing a program without checking accreditation: This can create problems with transfer credits, financial aid, graduate school admission, or employer recognition.
• Taking unrelated electives without a plan: A scattered transcript can make the degree harder to explain.
• Assuming the degree guarantees a specific salary: Earnings depend on role, experience, location, industry, and added skills.
• Ignoring internship and work experience: A broad degree is stronger when supported by practical examples.
• Focusing only on tuition: Fees, transfer-credit loss, program length, and lost work time can change the real cost.
• Assuming an online program is automatically flexible: Some online courses still require scheduled meetings, group projects, or strict deadlines.
• Overlooking licensure requirements: Teaching, counseling, healthcare, and other regulated careers may require approved programs and specific coursework.
• Relying only on rankings: The best program is the one that fits your credits, budget, schedule, support needs, and career path.

Practical steps for turning the degree into a career asset

1. Pick two or three target job titles before choosing electives.
2. Use electives to build a focus area, such as business, communication, public service, education support, or health administration.
3. Complete an internship, capstone, volunteer project, or workplace project that produces resume-ready examples.
4. Create a skills-based resume that connects coursework to job requirements.
5. Add a relevant certificate or software skill if your target field expects one.
6. Ask career services to review your resume and help you practice explaining the degree in interviews.
7. Research graduate program prerequisites early if you plan to continue your education.

Here’s what graduates say about general studies careers

Key Insights

• A general studies degree can lead to jobs in administration, sales, HR support, marketing support, customer service, nonprofit work, operations, and entry-level management.
• The degree is most valuable when you build a clear focus through electives, internships, work experience, certifications, or graduate study.
• Graduate school is possible with a general studies degree, but some programs may require prerequisite coursework or evidence of preparation in a specific field.
• Salary varies widely. Reported data includes approximately $71,000 for Bachelor of General Studies graduates, about $64,000 for Associate of General Studies graduates, and a $60,000 to $65,000 estimate range from other sources. The BLS reports approximately $55,000 as the median annual wage for liberal arts degree holders.
• Employers may respect the degree when it comes from an accredited institution and when the graduate can clearly explain relevant skills and experience.
• Online general studies programs can be convenient for working adults and transfer students, but quality depends on accreditation, advising, transfer-credit policy, and career support.
• This major is not ideal for students who need a direct path into licensed, clinical, technical, or highly specialized professions unless they plan for additional requirements.
• The best decision is not simply whether to choose general studies, but how to use it: choose a career direction, align coursework, gain experience, and avoid borrowing more than your likely path can support.

References:

• BLS. (2024, August 29). Field of degree: Liberal arts. Retrieved August 19, 2025, from BLS.
• Data USA. (n.d.). General Studies. Retrieved August 19, 2025, from Data USA.
• National Center for Education Statistics. (2024, May). Undergraduate Degree Fields. Retrieved August 19, 2025, from NCES.
• PayScale. (2025, April 30). Associate of General Studies Salary. Retrieved August 19, 2025, from PayScale.
• PayScale. (2025, April 30). Bachelor of General Studies Salary. Retrieved August 19, 2025, from PayScale.