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

A $27,000 debt load for a bachelor's degree that peers suggest leads to $35,000 first-year earnings creates a debt-to-income ratio just under 0.8—manageable, but only if you understand what you're getting. Similar liberal arts programs in Kentucky cluster tightly around this $35,000 mark, putting Bellarmine's estimated outcomes squarely in the middle of the pack. The real outlier in the state is Thomas More University at $62,600, nearly double the typical Kentucky liberal arts graduate, which raises an important question: what distinguishes their program design or student outcomes?

The estimated figures here reflect too few graduates to report separately, meaning we're looking at what similar programs produce rather than Bellarmine's specific track record. The debt projection comes from comparable private institutions nationally, while earnings estimates draw from Kentucky state data. Nationally, liberal arts bachelor's degrees produce a median of $36,340, so these estimates don't suggest Bellarmine underperforms—but they don't suggest it outperforms either.

For a school with a 94% admission rate and modest selectivity, you're essentially buying access and a credential at a predictable price point. The key uncertainty is whether this particular program prepares graduates differently than the state average suggests, and without actual outcomes data, there's no way to know. If your child is set on liberal arts at a private institution, this looks financially viable—but consider whether the investment delivers anything beyond what Kentucky's public universities offer at likely lower cost.