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

A liberal arts degree from Bethel carries an estimated $27,000 in debt—a manageable sum on paper—but the earnings picture raises questions. Similar bachelor's programs nationally suggest first-year earnings around $36,340, which puts this credential significantly below what other Minnesota schools typically deliver. The state median for this degree is $52,930, and even Metropolitan State's graduates start near $49,000. That $16,000 gap matters when you're servicing debt.

The 0.74 debt-to-earnings ratio looks reasonable compared to many liberal arts programs, but context is everything. Minnesota employers generally pay liberal arts grads well above the national average, yet these estimated figures track with national outcomes rather than state norms. If Bethel's actual results fall closer to peer programs in Minnesota, the investment looks considerably stronger. If they track national patterns, your child would be paying private school tuition for community-college-level starting salaries.

Request specific placement data from Bethel before committing. Where do their liberal arts graduates actually work, and what do they earn? The school's 91% admission rate and solid SAT scores suggest a respectable student body, but without verified outcomes data, you're essentially betting on uncertainty. If Bethel can't provide clearer employment figures for this particular program, that's information in itself.