Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Brigham Young University

Based on comparable liberal arts programs in Utah, BYU graduates can expect starting earnings around $38,000, climbing to $56,000 by year four—a trajectory that outpaces the typical national graduate in this field by roughly $20,000 at the four-year mark. That growth matters when you're looking at an estimated $27,000 in debt, which aligns exactly with the national median for these programs but runs higher than Utah's typical $21,000.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.71 suggests manageable repayment relative to what other humanities graduates face nationally, though it's worth noting that similar programs at Utah Valley and Weber State appear to produce stronger initial outcomes. What distinguishes BYU here isn't the starting salary—it's competitive with other Utah schools—but rather that robust mid-career jump to $56,000, which hints at either strong alumni networks or graduates moving into professional roles that reward the broader analytical skills liberal arts programs develop.

For families, the calculation hinges on whether that four-year earning potential justifies debt levels running about $6,000 above the state norm. The program tracks well nationally and shows meaningful income growth, but if minimizing debt is the priority, this may not be the leanest path through a humanities degree in Utah.