Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at American Public University System

American Public University System's online liberal arts program reports numbers that look almost too good to be true—and with fewer than 30 graduates in the dataset, they very well might be. The median first-year earnings of $62,059 outpaces not just West Virginia's median ($33,815) but also the national average ($36,340) by a remarkable 71%. Combined with exceptionally low debt ($6,265 versus $27,000 nationally), this creates a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.10—meaning graduates could theoretically pay off their loans in about six weeks of gross earnings.

The catch? This online university primarily serves military personnel and working adults who may already have established careers before completing their degree. That $62,059 likely reflects pre-existing employment rather than what the degree itself unlocked. Even the top-performing traditional West Virginia schools—like West Virginia State at $41,319—report earnings $20,000 lower, which suggests APUS is capturing a fundamentally different student population.

For a traditional college-age student, these numbers provide little guidance about actual outcomes. The program works well for adults credential-stacking in existing careers, but if your child would be starting fresh in the job market, the more modest figures from WV's traditional universities probably offer a clearer picture of what a liberal arts degree delivers.