New graduates from the Georgia Tech Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts earn the fifth highest starting salaries among those with degrees in Humanities and Social Sciences according to a new report released November 5 by NerdWallet.

“Georgia Tech grads rake in top salaries for many majors and liberal arts is no exception. The average salary for Ivan Allen graduates is $47,950, although the most recent numbers from 2013 show this year’s graduates are making an average of $55,300,” noted the report. 

Despite the reputation of liberal arts “for providing students with limited career choices in low-paying jobs, some schools have helped their recent graduates take home salaries well above the humanities and social science average,” the report stated.  

“The college’s six schools combine to offer a robust intellectual environment and an ambitious array of disciplinary and interdisciplinary learning experiences for students. Graduates are distinguished by their ability to address complex problems by bridging technological and non-technological realms.”

Georgia Tech Ivan Allen College was the only public institution among the Top 10 list which included schools such as Carnegie Mellon, the University of Pennsylvania, and Cornell. 

“As the only true public school on the list, Georgia Tech is an affordable option with a high return on investment.”

The NerdWallet ranking was based on self-reported salaries for new graduates averaged from 2010-2013.  The report stated that average salaries for humanities and social sciences grads ranges from $37,000 to $41,000 depending on the major, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).