Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Bethany Lutheran College

Bethany Lutheran College's liberal arts program presents an uncertain financial picture, with estimated first-year earnings around $36,340 against roughly $27,000 in debt. The more concerning issue here is how far these national estimates fall below what Minnesota's other liberal arts programs typically deliver. Across 28 programs in the state, the median graduate earns $52,930—nearly $17,000 more than what comparable programs nationally suggest for Bethany's graduates. The University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and Metropolitan State both report outcomes well above $49,000, showing that Minnesota employers generally pay liberal arts graduates substantially more than the national baseline.

That $16,000 gap matters because it determines whether this debt load feels manageable or burdensome. At the state median, $27,000 in loans represents six months of earnings—reasonable for a bachelor's degree. At the estimated $36,340, you're looking at nine months of income just to cover educational debt, limiting your child's flexibility in those crucial early career years. Without actual data on Bethany's own graduates, you're essentially betting that this small Lutheran college's outcomes align with the national pool rather than with Minnesota's stronger regional performance. Given the uncertainty and the state's higher benchmarks, you'd want compelling non-financial reasons—tight-knit community, specific faculty, religious mission—to choose Bethany over programs with documented stronger earnings.