Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Eastern Mennonite University

Eastern Mennonite's liberal arts program starts strong with first-year earnings of $46,585—well above both national and Virginia medians—but graduates see their earnings slip to $43,490 by year four. That 7% decline is unusual and worth questioning, though it could simply reflect the volatility of a very small sample size (fewer than 30 graduates tracked). At the 95th percentile nationally, this program clearly outperforms most liberal arts programs across the country, though within Virginia it sits closer to the middle of the pack at the 60th percentile.

The $27,000 median debt is right at the national average for this major, translating to a manageable 0.58 debt-to-earnings ratio. That's a reasonable burden for a liberal arts degree, which often takes longer to show its full earnings potential. The real question is whether those year-four earnings represent a temporary dip or a trend—something difficult to determine with such limited data.

For parents comfortable with some uncertainty in the numbers, this program shows promise based on its strong initial outcomes. But if you're seeking data-backed confidence about long-term earnings trajectories, the small sample size here makes it impossible to separate signal from noise. You might want to look at how EMU liberal arts graduates fare in graduate school placement or specific career paths, since those outcomes aren't captured in these employment numbers.