Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Fairfield University

A humanities degree from Fairfield comes with an estimated $21,563 in debt—notably lower than the national typical load of $27,000 for similar programs. With projected first-year earnings around $44,240 based on other Connecticut liberal arts programs, that creates a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49, which means graduates would owe roughly half their annual salary. That's manageable territory, though it's worth noting this estimate comes from a small pool of just four comparable Connecticut programs at similar schools.

The earnings picture sits right at the state median, suggesting outcomes typical for Connecticut rather than exceptional. Connecticut's liberal arts programs generally outpace national figures ($36,340 nationally versus $44,240 statewide), benefiting from the state's higher cost of living and concentration of professional services. Still, Yale's liberal arts graduates in Connecticut earn $61,133 in their first year—a meaningful gap that reflects differences in institutional networks and selectivity even within the same state.

For parents weighing a $21,563 investment at Fairfield, the key question is whether this program provides enough differentiation given its 45% admission rate and strong student body (1323 SAT average). The debt load is reasonable, but with only 7% of students on Pell grants, Fairfield serves primarily full-pay families who may have other financing options. The estimated figures suggest solid but unremarkable outcomes—affordable if your family can manage the upfront costs, but unlikely to deliver standout returns that would justify significant financial strain.