IIRC, there was a study done in the last 10 years or so that found that there was a relationship between the type of degree, and how important the social or “prestige” component needed to be successful in a given field.

The rough trend was that success with STEM degrees was less reliant on the prestige of the institution where it was acquired, whereas arts/humanities degrees required prestigious institutions (and the connections that they afforded) in order to attain prominent positions in some time period after graduating.