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

Is a liberal arts degree from a private university worth $26,000 in debt when comparable New Jersey programs suggest first-year earnings around $38,000? That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.68 sits in reasonable territory—graduates would owe about two-thirds of their first-year salary—but the limited sample size here means we're working with broad estimates rather than Caldwell-specific outcomes. With 46% of students receiving Pell grants, many families at this institution are already stretching financially, making that debt load particularly significant.

The estimated earnings align with New Jersey's median for liberal arts programs, but students should know that several public universities in the state—Thomas Edison State, Rowan, Stockton—report actual outcomes in the low-to-mid $40,000s for their graduates. That's $5,000-$12,000 more annually than what similar programs typically produce. For a general studies degree that doesn't lead to a specific career path, that gap matters when you're making monthly loan payments.

The practical question is whether Caldwell's smaller environment and personal attention justify potentially higher costs compared to larger state schools with documented stronger earnings. If your child thrives in intimate settings and needs that structure, it might. But acknowledge that you're making this decision based on estimated outcomes from peer programs rather than Caldwell's actual graduate results, and factor in that nearby alternatives appear to deliver better financial returns.