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

A $31,754 starting salary with $25,000 in debt puts Bethel's liberal arts graduates in a tighter financial position than most comparable programs. While this ranks in the 40th percentile among Indiana's liberal arts programs—essentially middle-of-the-pack for the state—it's below both the national median ($36,340) and the state median ($35,931) by roughly $4,000 to $5,000. That gap widens considerably when you look at Indiana's top performers: Notre Dame and Indiana Wesleyan graduates earn $10,000+ more right out of the gate.

The 26% earnings growth to nearly $40,000 by year four is encouraging and helps close the gap somewhat. The debt load here is actually slightly better than typical for this field, and with a 0.79 debt-to-earnings ratio, graduates aren't facing unmanageable payments. However, the math still presents challenges—that first-year salary means tighter budgets while paying down loans.

One important caveat: this data reflects fewer than 30 graduates, so individual circumstances could vary significantly. For families considering Bethel's liberal arts program, the key question is what you're paying versus state universities. The 99% admission rate and modest SAT scores suggest this is an accessible option, but if cost is similar to Indiana's public institutions where graduates are earning $5,000-$10,000 more, that's a gap worth considering carefully.