Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities: is this master's degree worth it?
National picture across 35 reporting college programs.
Personal baseline needed
$67,332 in median year-4 earnings
A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.
$67,332Median year-4 earnings
$22,059Average institution net-price context
Not availableMedian federal debt
Observed national outcomes
$67,332Median reported earnings · year 4
$66,370Average reported earnings · year 5
Not availableMedian federal debt
30thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
35Reporting programs
35With 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$62,062National median$67,33275th percentile$73,558
35 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1The University of Texas at Austin$119,1272Saint Mary's College of California$108,9183Spring Arbor University$100,9554Harvard University$92,1585Stony Brook University$89,1076Villanova University$80,4197Middle Tennessee State University$76,5908Adams State University$74,8319DePaul University$74,70210California State University, Dominguez Hills$73,558Observed 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. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | ROI status | Cost context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University of Texas at AustinMaster's Degree | Austin, TX | $119,127 | Not available | Baseline needed | $19,857 |
| 2 | Saint Mary's College of CaliforniaMaster's Degree | Moraga, CA | $108,918 | Not available | Baseline needed | $30,378 |
| 3 | Spring Arbor UniversityMaster's Degree | Spring Arbor, MI | $100,955 | Not available | Baseline needed | $19,353 |
| 4 | Harvard UniversityMaster's Degree | Cambridge, MA | $92,158 | Not available | Baseline needed | $19,066 |
| 5 | Stony Brook UniversityMaster's Degree | Stony Brook, NY | $89,107 | Not available | Baseline needed | $18,784 |
| 6 | Villanova UniversityMaster's Degree | Villanova, PA | $80,419 | Not available | Baseline needed | $43,756 |
| 7 | Middle Tennessee State UniversityMaster's Degree | Murfreesboro, TN | $76,590 | Not available | Baseline needed | $13,359 |
| 8 | Adams State UniversityMaster's Degree | Alamosa, CO | $74,831 | Not available | Baseline needed | $12,980 |
| 9 | DePaul UniversityMaster's Degree | Chicago, IL | $74,702 | Not available | Baseline needed | $30,902 |
| 10 | California State University, Dominguez HillsMaster's Degree | Carson, CA | $73,558 | Not available | Baseline needed | $8,615 |
| 11 | University of PennsylvaniaMaster's Degree | Philadelphia, PA | $72,960 | Not available | Baseline needed | $28,699 |
| 12 | CUNY Graduate School and University CenterMaster's Degree | New York, NY | $72,860 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 13 | Johns Hopkins UniversityMaster's Degree | Baltimore, MD | $70,651 | Not available | Baseline needed | $18,809 |
| 14 | University of Oklahoma-Norman CampusMaster's Degree | Norman, OK | $70,018 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,300 |
| 15 | Southern Methodist UniversityMaster's Degree | Dallas, TX | $69,368 | Not available | Baseline needed | $40,892 |
| 16 | Texas Christian UniversityMaster's Degree | Fort Worth, TX | $67,586 | Not available | Baseline needed | $36,660 |
| 17 | Dartmouth CollegeMaster's Degree | Hanover, NH | $67,367 | Not available | Baseline needed | $29,519 |
| 18 | Duke UniversityMaster's Degree | Durham, NC | $67,332 | Not available | Baseline needed | $29,612 |
| 19 | New York UniversityMaster's Degree | New York, NY | $66,958 | Not available | Baseline needed | $37,050 |
| 20 | Fort Hays State UniversityMaster's Degree | Hays, KS | $65,851 | Not available | Baseline needed | $12,569 |
| 21 | North Central CollegeMaster's Degree | Naperville, IL | $65,846 | Not available | Baseline needed | $21,044 |
| 22 | University of MemphisMaster's Degree | Memphis, TN | $65,320 | Not available | Baseline needed | $12,397 |
| 23 | University of St ThomasMaster's Degree | Houston, TX | $64,943 | Not available | Baseline needed | $19,359 |
| 24 | University of DallasMaster's Degree | Irving, TX | $63,807 | Not available | Baseline needed | $22,610 |
| 25 | Arizona State University Campus ImmersionMaster's Degree | Tempe, AZ | $63,395 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,967 |
| 26 | Arizona State University Digital ImmersionMaster's Degree | Scottsdale, AZ | $63,395 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 27 | The University of Texas at DallasMaster's Degree | Richardson, TX | $62,062 | Not available | Baseline needed | $18,267 |
| 28 | Tennessee Technological UniversityMaster's Degree | Cookeville, TN | $61,301 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,246 |
| 29 | University of ChicagoMaster's Degree | Chicago, IL | $60,106 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,860 |
| 30 | University of North Carolina at GreensboroMaster's Degree | Greensboro, NC | $59,021 | Not available | Baseline needed | $10,965 |
| 31 | SUNY Buffalo State UniversityMaster's Degree | Buffalo, NY | $58,389 | Not available | Baseline needed | $11,346 |
| 32 | Tulane University of LouisianaMaster's Degree | New Orleans, LA | $55,438 | Not available | Baseline needed | $39,949 |
| 33 | Tiffin UniversityMaster's Degree | Tiffin, OH | $53,425 | Not available | Baseline needed | $26,500 |
| 34 | Auburn University at MontgomeryMaster's Degree | Montgomery, AL | $46,774 | Not available | Baseline needed | $13,224 |
| 35 | Union Institute & UniversityMaster's Degree | , | $55,924 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
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.