Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Concordia University-Wisconsin

Based on comparable programs in Wisconsin, Liberal Arts graduates here start around $43,700—about 20% above the national median for this degree and right at Wisconsin's state average. With estimated debt of $27,000, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.62 falls into manageable territory, particularly when similar programs nationally carry the same debt load but yield $7,000 less in first-year earnings.

The challenge with this program is that peer schools with reported data show a wide spread. UW-Green Bay's Liberal Arts graduates earn $54,400 while UW-Milwaukee's make $42,700—a $12,000 range that matters significantly when you're evaluating return on investment. Concordia's selectivity (68% admission rate, 1250 SAT average) and private school premium suggest outcomes could lean either direction within that range, depending heavily on career services, internship connections, and the specific career path a student pursues.

For families, this means weighing estimated outcomes against concrete costs. The debt burden appears reasonable if earnings track with the state median, but there's inherent uncertainty when actual program data isn't available. If your child has admission offers from UW schools showing stronger reported outcomes, those provide more clarity. If Concordia offers unique fit advantages—smaller classes, faith integration, or specific faculty mentorship—the financial gamble becomes more about whether those intangibles justify accepting some outcome uncertainty over programs with documented track records.