General Education
General Education graduates earn an average annual wage of $87,722, making it one of the higher-paying degree fields. With 107,930 professionals in the field earning competitive wages, this degree offers strong career prospects. The field combines competitive wages with a large and growing workforce, making it an attractive option for students seeking strong career opportunities.
Key Statistics
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in General Education and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$14,965 Median In-State Public
$35,960 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for General Education majors are, on average, $14,965 for in-state public colleges, and $35,960 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for General Education programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
48,200 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in General Education from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in General Education.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | 59,099 |
| 2 | Ivy Tech Community College | IN | 54,926 |
| 3 | Purdue University-Main Campus | IN | 39,637 |
| 4 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | NJ | 36,357 |
| 5 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | IL | 34,623 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering General Education programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tohono O'odham Community College | AZ | $932 |
| 2 | Woodland Community College | CA | $1,124 |
| 3 | Imperial Valley College | CA | $1,126 |
| 4 | Yuba College | CA | $1,128 |
| 5 | Lassen Community College | CA | $1,144 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for General Education programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | College of the Sequoias | CA | $29 |
| 2 | Coahoma Community College | MS | $560 |
| 3 | Reedley College | CA | $1,584 |
| 4 | Imperial Valley College | CA | $1,697 |
| 5 | Hartnell College | CA | $2,895 |
Schools with the lowest net price (after financial aid) for General Education programs.
Graduation Rates
57.33% Median Graduation Rate (150% of normal time)
57.55% Average Graduation Rate
839 Institutions Reporting
46.44% - 69.33% Interquartile Range
Graduation/completion rates for General Education programs across institutions.
Employment
Information on the businesses and industries that employ General Education graduates and on wages and locations for those in the field.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$87,722 Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for General Education majors is $87,722.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for General Education majors.
Occupations by Share
107,930 2023 Workforce
The number of General Education graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in General Education by share of the total number of graduates.
Return on Investment & Value
Financial analysis of General Education degree including debt, earnings, and return on investment metrics.
Financial Value Analysis
$52,230 Median Annual Earnings (10 years after enrollment)
628.69% Return on Investment (10-year earnings vs 4-year cost)
This degree shows strong ROI, with 10-year earnings significantly exceeding the cost of education.
$71,676 Estimated Total Cost (4 years at median net price)
Financial value comparison for General Education degree.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in General Education in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in General Education.
Age distribution for General Education degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
317,436 Total Degrees Awarded
60,075 Male (18.93%)
257,361 Female (81.07%)
Gender distribution of General Education degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
193,964 White (61.10%)
49,083 Hispanic or Latino (15.46%)
32,718 Black or African American (10.31%)
9,902 Asian (3.12%)
8,950 Two or More Races (2.82%)
Racial and ethnic distribution of General Education degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in General Education are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in General Education.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the General Education field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
General Education majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for General Education majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for General Education majors.
About
General Education
In 2023, 48,200 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in General Education.
CIP Code
13.0100 - General Education
Insights and Analysis
Exceptional Return on Investment: General Education offers an outstanding ROI of 629%, meaning graduates typically earn significantly more over 10 years than the total cost of their education. This makes it one of the most financially rewarding degree choices available.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.