Anthropology at California State University-San Bernardino

The standout concern here isn't the debt—at $12,646, it's well below both the state median ($16,834) and national average ($23,000)—but rather the earnings trajectory. Graduates start at $25,354, which already trails the state median by $2,500, then see their income drop to under $20,000 by year four. This 22% decline is unusual and troubling, suggesting many graduates struggle to find stable work that utilizes their degree. Among California's 47 anthropology programs, this ranks in just the 40th percentile, lagging behind most UC and CSU alternatives.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.50 sounds manageable on paper, but that calculation uses first-year income—and earnings go down from there. By year four, graduates are earning barely more than minimum wage full-time work would provide. The university's 98% admission rate and high Pell Grant percentage (57%) indicate it serves a population that needs education to pay off financially, yet anthropology graduates here earn roughly $13,000 less annually than peers at UCLA or Sacramento State.

For families banking on a bachelor's degree to improve economic prospects, this combination of below-average starting pay and declining earnings creates serious risk. The low debt is the program's saving grace, but it doesn't compensate for earning less than many positions that don't require a four-year degree.