Non-Professional General Legal Studies (Undergraduate) at Eastern Michigan University

A bachelor's degree in legal studies from Eastern Michigan carries an estimated $23,000 in debt—below both the national and Michigan medians for this field—while similar programs nationally suggest first-year earnings around $39,000. That debt load represents about seven months of gross income, which is manageable compared to many undergraduate programs. However, legal studies graduates occupy an unusual space in the job market: they're trained in legal concepts but can't practice law, typically competing for paralegal, compliance, and administrative roles that often don't require a four-year degree.

The earnings picture tells an important story. While the national benchmark sits at $39,000, Michigan programs for this major typically produce lower outcomes—Michigan State's graduates, for example, earn $34,000 in their first year. This suggests the Michigan legal job market may not reward bachelor's-level legal training as generously as other states do. For comparison, many paralegal certificate programs cost far less and lead to similar entry positions, though the bachelor's degree does keep doors open for graduate school or career pivots.

The real question is what your child plans to do with this degree. If they're certain about law school, pre-law coursework matters more than the major itself. If they're targeting paralegal work, the debt load is reasonable but they should confirm local job prospects justify the four-year investment over faster alternatives. If they're still exploring, this is an expensive way to figure things out.