Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Chicago State University

A liberal arts degree that commands $45,762 in first-year earnings deserves attention—Chicago State graduates earn 26% more than the national median for this program and rank in the 92nd percentile nationally. That's genuinely impressive for a degree often dismissed as impractical. But here's the tension: while these earnings look strong against national numbers, they land at the 60th percentile among Illinois schools, suggesting the state's general studies programs collectively punch above their weight. More critically, graduates carry $54,000 in debt—double the national median and nearly double what students at other Illinois schools in this program typically owe.

That debt load creates real financial strain. Owing 1.18 times your first year's salary means graduates face monthly payments around $620 on a standard 10-year plan—about 16% of gross income. With 55% of students receiving Pell grants, many borrowers here come from families with limited financial cushion. The small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift dramatically year to year, but the debt figure should make you calculate carefully: would your child qualify for grants or scholarships that could reduce that $54,000 burden? At this debt level, the strong earnings aren't enough to make the math work comfortably. If substantial aid isn't on the table, comparable Illinois programs at places like Aurora or Northeastern Illinois deliver similar earnings with roughly half the debt.