Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Fairmont State University

The small sample size here demands caution, but what we can see is a program that costs less than most while trailing national earnings by only $2,500 at year one. Fairmont State keeps debt 14% below the national median for liberal arts programs—graduating students with roughly $31,000 in loans versus $27,000 nationally is still manageable, especially when earnings climb 27% to nearly $43,000 by year four. Among West Virginia's 19 liberal arts programs, this one hits exactly the state median for starting salary while sitting at the 60th percentile, performing better than many in-state alternatives.

The real consideration is whether a general liberal arts degree makes sense when West Virginia's labor market clearly favors specialized credentials. American Public University System graduates in this field earn $62,000, suggesting the degree itself isn't the ceiling—but that program likely attracts a different student population. For families seeking an affordable path to a bachelor's degree at an open-access institution, these numbers work: the 0.91 debt-to-earnings ratio means one year's salary nearly covers all student debt, and the upward earnings trajectory suggests graduates find their footing within a few years.

If your child is set on liberal arts at a West Virginia public university with minimal admission barriers, Fairmont State delivers reasonable value. Just understand you're looking at low-to-mid-$40,000 earnings by year four, not the $62,000 possible at the state's top-performing program.