Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 527 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$177,548 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
33.5 yrsModeled economic break-even
−70%Modeled 10-year ROI
$52,545Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$52,545Median reported earnings · year 4
$49,777Average reported earnings · year 5
$27,000Median federal debt
30thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
527Reporting programs
488With year-4 earnings
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
OPEN PROFILE
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $44,349
- Federal debt
- $9,500
- Reporting programs
- 114
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $42,789
- Federal debt
- $11,000
- Reporting programs
- 997
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $52,545
- Federal debt
- $27,000
- Reporting programs
- 527
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $100,964
- Federal debt
- $28,249
- Reporting programs
- 2
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $67,332
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 35
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $64,895
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 4
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $53,722
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 25
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$46,705National median$52,54575th percentile$58,219
488 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1Massachusetts Institute of Technology$147,9982Yale University$113,7883Georgetown University$112,7224Bentley University$105,1835Columbia University in the City of New York$99,6796University of Chicago$96,5107Northwestern University$93,1808Champlain College$91,5339Emory University$90,02510DePaul University$86,444Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherSOC 25-1199 · 3 crosswalk linksNO MATCHSOC 99-9999 · 1 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyBachelor's Degree | Cambridge, MA | $147,998 | $11,935 | +295% | Strong payoff |
| 2 | Yale UniversityBachelor's Degree | New Haven, CT | $113,788 | $15,750 | +150% | Strong payoff |
| 3 | Georgetown UniversityBachelor's Degree | Washington, DC | $112,722 | $25,000 | +97% | Positive payoff |
| 4 | Bentley UniversityBachelor's Degree | Waltham, MA | $105,183 | $26,000 | +81% | Positive payoff |
| 5 | Columbia University in the City of New YorkBachelor's Degree | New York, NY | $99,679 | Not available | +105% | Strong payoff |
| 6 | University of ChicagoBachelor's Degree | Chicago, IL | $96,510 | Not available | +115% | Strong payoff |
| 7 | Northwestern UniversityBachelor's Degree | Evanston, IL | $93,180 | Not available | +62% | Positive payoff |
| 8 | Champlain CollegeBachelor's Degree | Burlington, VT | $91,533 | $23,949 | +44% | Positive payoff |
| 9 | Emory UniversityBachelor's Degree | Atlanta, GA | $90,025 | Not available | +67% | Positive payoff |
| 10 | DePaul UniversityBachelor's Degree | Chicago, IL | $86,444 | $42,350 | +37% | Positive payoff |
| 11 | Drexel UniversityBachelor's Degree | Philadelphia, PA | $84,166 | $27,154 | +17% | Positive payoff |
| 12 | University of HartfordBachelor's Degree | West Hartford, CT | $80,775 | Not available | +19% | Positive payoff |
| 13 | American Public University SystemBachelor's Degree | Charles Town, WV | $79,734 | $6,265 | +59% | Positive payoff |
| 14 | Texas A&M University-College StationBachelor's Degree | College Station, TX | $79,488 | Not available | +30% | Positive payoff |
| 15 | Life UniversityBachelor's Degree | Marietta, GA | $78,151 | Not available | +11% | Positive payoff |
| 16 | University of Mount UnionBachelor's Degree | Alliance, OH | $76,675 | $27,000 | +16% | Positive payoff |
| 17 | Union CollegeBachelor's Degree | Schenectady, NY | $75,345 | $24,500 | -5% | Negative payoff |
| 18 | Rutgers University-CamdenBachelor's Degree | Camden, NJ | $74,122 | $23,000 | +14% | Positive payoff |
| 19 | Rutgers University-New BrunswickBachelor's Degree | New Brunswick, NJ | $74,122 | $23,000 | +5% | Positive payoff |
| 20 | University of Massachusetts-AmherstBachelor's Degree | Amherst, MA | $73,242 | $25,742 | +5% | Positive payoff |
| 21 | The University of Texas at AustinBachelor's Degree | Austin, TX | $73,089 | $19,052 | +8% | Positive payoff |
| 22 | William Jewell CollegeBachelor's Degree | Liberty, MO | $72,507 | $26,831 | +10% | Positive payoff |
| 23 | University of North Carolina at Chapel HillBachelor's Degree | Chapel Hill, NC | $72,422 | $13,000 | +21% | Positive payoff |
| 24 | Saint Joseph's University - PhiladelphiaBachelor's Degree | Philadelphia, PA | $72,048 | $43,575 | -9% | Negative payoff |
| 25 | Wesleyan UniversityBachelor's Degree | Middletown, CT | $71,932 | $16,125 | -10% | Negative payoff |
| 26 | University of North DakotaBachelor's Degree | Grand Forks, ND | $71,538 | $24,901 | +4% | Positive payoff |
| 27 | Molloy UniversityBachelor's Degree | Rockville Centre, NY | $71,097 | $31,000 | -6% | Negative payoff |
| 28 | University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesBachelor's Degree | Minneapolis, MN | $70,788 | $21,250 | +4% | Positive payoff |
| 29 | Xavier UniversityBachelor's Degree | Cincinnati, OH | $69,546 | $23,250 | -21% | Negative payoff |
| 30 | Saint Mary's College of CaliforniaBachelor's Degree | Moraga, CA | $68,501 | $27,000 | -22% | Negative payoff |
| 31 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch CollegeBachelor's Degree | New York, NY | $68,471 | Not available | +22% | Positive payoff |
| 32 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoBachelor's Degree | San Luis Obispo, CA | $68,171 | $17,500 | -6% | Negative payoff |
| 33 | Sacred Heart UniversityBachelor's Degree | Fairfield, CT | $68,092 | $27,000 | -37% | Negative payoff |
| 34 | University of Michigan-Ann ArborBachelor's Degree | Ann Arbor, MI | $67,859 | $20,728 | -2% | Negative payoff |
| 35 | Seton Hall UniversityBachelor's Degree | South Orange, NJ | $67,522 | $25,000 | -26% | Negative payoff |
| 36 | Montana State University BillingsBachelor's Degree | Billings, MT | $67,304 | $39,800 | -9% | Negative payoff |
| 37 | Ave Maria UniversityBachelor's Degree | Ave Maria, FL | $67,139 | Not available | -21% | Negative payoff |
| 38 | Regis CollegeBachelor's Degree | Weston, MA | $66,664 | $27,000 | -25% | Negative payoff |
| 39 | Southern New Hampshire UniversityBachelor's Degree | Manchester, NH | $66,656 | $29,084 | -34% | Negative payoff |
| 40 | Antioch University-Los AngelesBachelor's Degree | Culver City, CA | $66,596 | $29,832 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 41 | Antioch University-Santa BarbaraBachelor's Degree | Santa Barbara, CA | $66,596 | $29,832 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 42 | Antioch University-SeattleBachelor's Degree | Seattle, WA | $66,596 | $29,832 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 43 | Antioch UniversityBachelor's Degree | Yellow Springs, OH | $66,596 | $29,832 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 44 | New York UniversityBachelor's Degree | New York, NY | $66,502 | $21,787 | -34% | Negative payoff |
| 45 | Wayne State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Detroit, MI | $66,426 | $18,028 | -7% | Negative payoff |
| 46 | Empire State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Saratoga Springs, NY | $66,111 | Not available | -7% | Negative payoff |
| 47 | Dominican University of CaliforniaBachelor's Degree | San Rafael, CA | $65,780 | Not available | -35% | Negative payoff |
| 48 | Pace UniversityBachelor's Degree | New York, NY | $65,637 | $25,229 | -32% | Negative payoff |
| 49 | North Carolina State University at RaleighBachelor's Degree | Raleigh, NC | $65,594 | $25,993 | -17% | Negative payoff |
| 50 | University of Oklahoma-Norman CampusBachelor's Degree | Norman, OK | $65,474 | $27,000 | -15% | Negative payoff |
| 51 | University of Missouri-ColumbiaBachelor's Degree | Columbia, MO | $65,029 | $20,569 | -23% | Negative payoff |
| 52 | St. Francis CollegeBachelor's Degree | Brooklyn, NY | $64,725 | $22,500 | -22% | Negative payoff |
| 53 | University of IndianapolisBachelor's Degree | Indianapolis, IN | $64,325 | $31,000 | -27% | Negative payoff |
| 54 | Seattle UniversityBachelor's Degree | Seattle, WA | $64,098 | $23,500 | -40% | Negative payoff |
| 55 | Thomas Edison State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Trenton, NJ | $64,011 | $19,766 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 56 | Rochester Institute of TechnologyBachelor's Degree | Rochester, NY | $63,845 | $28,000 | -41% | Negative payoff |
| 57 | Buena Vista UniversityBachelor's Degree | Storm Lake, IA | $63,832 | Not available | -26% | Negative payoff |
| 58 | Oakland UniversityBachelor's Degree | Rochester Hills, MI | $63,534 | $28,000 | -14% | Negative payoff |
| 59 | Moravian UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bethlehem, PA | $63,342 | Not available | -39% | Negative payoff |
| 60 | The New SchoolBachelor's Degree | New York, NY | $62,976 | $26,750 | -57% | Negative payoff |
| 61 | North Park UniversityBachelor's Degree | Chicago, IL | $62,972 | Not available | -27% | Negative payoff |
| 62 | Quincy UniversityBachelor's Degree | Quincy, IL | $62,841 | Not available | -32% | Negative payoff |
| 63 | Trinity Washington UniversityBachelor's Degree | Washington, DC | $62,755 | $36,000 | -18% | Negative payoff |
| 64 | University of California, RiversideBachelor's Degree | Riverside, CA | $62,211 | $16,436 | -27% | Negative payoff |
| 65 | California State University, Dominguez HillsBachelor's Degree | Carson, CA | $62,164 | $15,453 | -20% | Negative payoff |
| 66 | Loyola Marymount UniversityBachelor's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $62,148 | Not available | -54% | Negative payoff |
| 67 | Providence CollegeBachelor's Degree | Providence, RI | $62,111 | Not available | -54% | Negative payoff |
| 68 | University of the Incarnate WordBachelor's Degree | San Antonio, TX | $62,084 | $21,004 | -37% | Negative payoff |
| 69 | Carnegie Mellon UniversityBachelor's Degree | Pittsburgh, PA | $62,027 | $25,515 | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 70 | CUNY Medgar Evers CollegeBachelor's Degree | Brooklyn, NY | $61,987 | $13,797 | -16% | Negative payoff |
| 71 | Westmont CollegeBachelor's Degree | Santa Barbara, CA | $61,939 | $19,500 | -43% | Negative payoff |
| 72 | Excelsior UniversityBachelor's Degree | Albany, NY | $61,685 | $11,875 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 73 | Wingate UniversityBachelor's Degree | Wingate, NC | $61,525 | Not available | -37% | Negative payoff |
| 74 | Vassar CollegeBachelor's Degree | Poughkeepsie, NY | $61,359 | $18,652 | -52% | Negative payoff |
| 75 | University of St ThomasBachelor's Degree | Houston, TX | $61,219 | $25,000 | -37% | Negative payoff |
| 76 | University of IowaBachelor's Degree | Iowa City, IA | $61,200 | $25,269 | -40% | Negative payoff |
| 77 | George Mason UniversityBachelor's Degree | Fairfax, VA | $61,100 | $24,500 | -36% | Negative payoff |
| 78 | California Lutheran UniversityBachelor's Degree | Thousand Oaks, CA | $60,806 | $21,897 | -47% | Negative payoff |
| 79 | Aurora UniversityBachelor's Degree | Aurora, IL | $60,775 | $27,000 | -38% | Negative payoff |
| 80 | Weber State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Ogden, UT | $60,751 | $21,361 | -29% | Negative payoff |
| 81 | Eastern Oregon UniversityBachelor's Degree | La Grande, OR | $60,706 | Not available | -37% | Negative payoff |
| 82 | Valparaiso UniversityBachelor's Degree | Valparaiso, IN | $60,612 | Not available | -39% | Negative payoff |
| 83 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan CampusBachelor's Degree | Teaneck, NJ | $60,525 | $26,000 | -36% | Negative payoff |
| 84 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham CampusBachelor's Degree | Madison, NJ | $60,525 | $26,000 | -43% | Negative payoff |
| 85 | Coppin State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Baltimore, MD | $60,410 | $41,868 | -30% | Negative payoff |
| 86 | University of Notre DameBachelor's Degree | Notre Dame, IN | $60,369 | $18,800 | -46% | Negative payoff |
| 87 | Metropolitan State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Saint Paul, MN | $60,352 | $32,145 | -38% | Negative payoff |
| 88 | University of Wisconsin-WhitewaterBachelor's Degree | Whitewater, WI | $60,241 | $32,501 | -36% | Negative payoff |
| 89 | Belmont Abbey CollegeBachelor's Degree | Belmont, NC | $60,199 | $33,291 | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 90 | University of ConnecticutBachelor's Degree | Storrs, CT | $60,092 | $22,000 | -46% | Negative payoff |
| 91 | University of Connecticut-Waterbury CampusBachelor's Degree | Waterbury, CT | $60,092 | $22,000 | -32% | Negative payoff |
| 92 | University of Connecticut-Avery PointBachelor's Degree | Groton, CT | $60,092 | $22,000 | -36% | Negative payoff |
| 93 | University of Connecticut-StamfordBachelor's Degree | Stamford, CT | $60,092 | $22,000 | -39% | Negative payoff |
| 94 | University of Connecticut-Hartford CampusBachelor's Degree | Hartford, CT | $60,092 | $22,000 | -39% | Negative payoff |
| 95 | South Dakota State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Brookings, SD | $60,081 | $29,731 | -42% | Negative payoff |
| 96 | California State University, Long BeachBachelor's Degree | Long Beach, CA | $60,019 | $15,500 | -32% | Negative payoff |
| 97 | California State University, Los AngelesBachelor's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $59,904 | $15,171 | -24% | Negative payoff |
| 98 | Grinnell CollegeBachelor's Degree | Grinnell, IA | $59,638 | Not available | -42% | Negative payoff |
| 99 | University of South FloridaBachelor's Degree | Tampa, FL | $59,587 | $30,676 | -33% | Negative payoff |
| 100 | Sonoma State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Rohnert Park, CA | $59,444 | $16,500 | -38% | Negative payoff |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.