Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Crown College

Similar liberal arts programs nationwide suggest first-year earnings around $36,340 with debt near $27,000—a 0.74 debt-to-earnings ratio that looks manageable on paper. But context matters: Minnesota's liberal arts graduates typically earn $52,930 in their first year, making this program's estimated trajectory nearly $16,000 below the state median. When the University of Minnesota's liberal arts grads start at $56,778 and even Metropolitan State produces $49,083, Crown's comparable programs appear to underperform their in-state competition significantly.

The debt load itself isn't alarming—it's actually in line with Minnesota's median for these programs. The concern is what that debt buys. A first-year salary in the mid-$30,000s makes monthly loan payments tight, especially when peer institutions in the same state are launching graduates with 40-50% higher earnings potential. For a family investing in a bachelor's degree, that gap compounds over a career.

Without reported outcomes specific to Crown, you're betting on national averages rather than this school's track record. If your child is set on Crown for fit or mission reasons, understand they may need a clear post-graduation plan—whether that's grad school, a specific career path, or geographic flexibility—to offset starting earnings that trail Minnesota norms by a substantial margin.