A State of the State for Humanist Fields 

Founded in 1780 by the likes of John Adams, John Hancock, and scholars of the early United States, the Academy of Arts and Sciences is known for recognizing excellence in the humanities across a wide variety of disciplines. It is also a convener of people and ideas; Academy members regularly join with subject matter experts nationwide to advance the public good by conducting cross-disciplinary research and analysis of available studies that aim to present answers to contemporary questions. 

Among those studies is a mainstay for national data on the state of the humanities:

Supported by the Mellon Foundation, The Academy describes Humanities Indicators as “a nationally recognized source of nonpartisan information on the state of the humanities, providing researchers and policy-makers with better tools to answer basic questions about areas of concern in the field.” 

Those who work in this field know there is, in fact, a great deal of concern about how the humanities are perceived by the general population, and particularly whether students who choose to earn a humanities degree fare better or worse than others when it comes to employment prospects. 

Updated on a regular basis, The Humanities Indicators offer evidence-based trends and patterns that enable interested readers to draw informed conclusions and make data-driven decisions in their work. 

View a selection of reporting: