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

A liberal arts bachelor's degree carrying $31,000 in debt faces a fundamental challenge: even if first-year earnings match the state median estimate of $42,000, that's barely above the national 75th percentile for this field. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.74 sits in manageable territory, but that assumes graduates find full-time work quickly and that Eureka's outcomes track with peer programs across Illinois—programs that themselves show wide variation, from $45,000 at public Chicago State to more than $84,000 at DePaul.

The real tension here is what a general studies degree delivers versus more specialized alternatives. These programs work well for students planning graduate school or who've built strong internship portfolios, but the estimated earnings lag behind what neighboring programs report. Given Eureka's 88% admission rate and relatively low Pell enrollment, the college attracts students who likely have options—which raises the question of whether this particular program offers enough career momentum to justify its cost.

For families evaluating this path, the uncertainty matters. Without actual graduate outcomes, you're essentially betting that Eureka's program performs at least as well as the typical Illinois liberal arts degree. If your student has clear post-graduation plans—a job lined up, graduate school acceptance, or family business opportunities—the debt load is workable. Without that clarity, exploring programs with demonstrated outcomes might reduce the financial guesswork.