Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Florida Atlantic University

Florida Atlantic's liberal arts program starts graduates at just $29,605—well below both the state median of $35,361 and the national benchmark of $36,340. Among Florida's 41 schools offering this degree, FAU ranks in just the 25th percentile for earnings. That means three-quarters of comparable programs in the state produce better early outcomes, including nearby rivals like University of South Florida ($45,230) and University of Central Florida ($48,391).

The silver lining is meaningful earnings growth: graduates see a 38% jump to nearly $41,000 by year four, essentially catching up to where most liberal arts grads start. The debt burden of $19,453 is also manageable—lower than both state and national medians—resulting in a first-year ratio of 0.66 that, while tight initially, becomes less burdensome as earnings improve.

For families considering this program, the question is whether delaying financial independence by several years makes sense. Your child will likely struggle in their early twenties while peers from stronger programs gain career traction. If FAU is significantly cheaper than alternatives or offers specific opportunities your child values, the lower debt provides some cushion. But if cost is comparable to UCF or USF, those programs deliver substantially better starting positions without requiring years of catching up.