Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Barry University

Barry's Liberal Arts program shows strong initial earnings—$46,015 puts it in the 80th percentile among Florida liberal arts programs and well ahead of both the state median ($35,361) and national median ($36,340). But here's the red flag: earnings drop 12% by year four to just over $40,000, suggesting graduates may be starting in jobs that don't offer clear advancement paths. Combined with above-average debt of $46,429 (nearly double the typical $25,571 for Florida liberal arts programs), the financial picture deteriorates quickly after that first job.

The small sample size—fewer than 30 graduates—makes these numbers particularly uncertain. That earnings decline could reflect just a handful of graduates changing careers or facing unusual circumstances. It's also worth noting that 46% of Barry students receive Pell grants, indicating the school serves many lower-income students who may have different career trajectories than the typical liberal arts graduate.

For families considering this program, the debt load is the critical concern. Even with strong first-year earnings, owing nearly as much as you'll make that year makes repayment challenging, especially if earnings don't grow. Unless your child has specific career plans that leverage Barry's Miami location or institutional connections, Florida public universities offer similar liberal arts outcomes with substantially less debt—UCF and USF both place graduates near $45-48K with lower typical borrowing.