Humanities resilient in the UK: a case for growth, also in careers.

Arts, humanities and social science graduates are more in demand than science graduates in eight of the UK’s ten fastest-growing sectors of the economy, a study has found.

Those who take subjects such as history, law and drama are just as likely to be in work as their chemistry, maths or engineering counterparts, the study said, and are just as resilient to economic downturns. There is also little difference in earnings.

The findings challenge the popular belief that the future is all about Stem (science, technology, engineering and maths) and that degrees in those subjects are more valuable to the economy now and in the future.

The findings about recruitment in the fastest growing parts of the economy are particularly striking. These businesses, including information and communications, finance, transport and property, all prefer humanities graduates. In finance almost 70 per cent of graduate employees have a humanities background.

Arts, humanities and social science graduates are just as likely to be employed as their Stem counterparts a year after graduation with employment rates of 88 per cent and 89 per cent respectively, and have been for the past 20 years. The report is from the British Academy and the London Economics consultancy and draws on numerous data sets and projections.

The academy says contrary to rhetoric from government and industry leaders, humanities graduates are “the backbone of the economy”. While Germany, with its strong engineering and manufacturing base, is often idealised, the UK is different with the service sector accounting for 81 per cent of its total economic output and is second only to the US in export value globally.

The report also dispels the myth that Stem graduates earn more. Gross hourly pay is roughly the same on average, £17 an hour for humanities graduates and £18.40 for Stem about £35,360 and £38,272 a year respectively….

Hetan Shah, chief executive of the British Academy, told The Times youngsters who want to study fine art, archaeology or other humanities subjects should “feel reassured they can study what they love and have a great career at the end of it”.

For other posts on humanities and careers, see here.