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

A bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts from Campbellsville carries nearly $29,000 in debt—slightly above the state median—for estimated first-year earnings that land right at Kentucky's average of $35,025. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.83 is manageable compared to many programs, but the limitation here is obvious: we're working with estimates based on eight similar Kentucky programs, not actual graduate outcomes from Campbellsville itself. The spread among comparable schools is wide—Thomas More graduates earn nearly double what Murray State grads typically make in their first year, suggesting that institutional reputation and local employer networks matter enormously for general liberal arts degrees.

The real challenge is what happens after that first year. Liberal arts degrees typically reward graduates who leverage them into specific career paths—teaching, nonprofit management, graduate school—rather than those who enter the general workforce without clear direction. At $35,000, you're starting below the national median for these programs, though only slightly. The debt burden is reasonable enough that it won't derail a graduate who finds their footing, but there's little margin for career drift.

If your child has a concrete plan for this degree—law school, graduate work, or a specific field where the credential opens doors—the numbers work. Without that plan, you're essentially betting on uncertainty: estimated earnings, broad career outcomes, and a degree that requires strategic positioning to pay off.