Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Graceland University-Lamoni

The downward earnings trajectory here is striking: graduates of similar liberal arts programs in Iowa start around $40,400, but this specific program's graduates earn just $33,397 four years out—a concerning 17% decline when most careers should be gaining momentum. While first-year figures from peer programs suggest a reasonable start, actual outcomes from Graceland show earnings falling well below what Luther College and Simpson College graduates achieve even in year one.

The estimated debt of $27,000 matches both state and national norms for liberal arts degrees, which would typically be manageable with steady income growth. But when earnings drop rather than rise, that seemingly reasonable debt load becomes harder to service. Comparable Iowa programs like University of Iowa and Grand View maintain earnings above $40,000 in later years, suggesting the issue isn't the degree itself but something specific to outcomes at this institution.

For parents, the key question is why earnings decline so sharply after graduation. This pattern could reflect graduates leaving Iowa for lower cost-of-living areas, career pivots, or graduate school enrollment—contexts where lower reported earnings don't necessarily mean financial struggle. But without understanding what drives this unusual trajectory, it's difficult to justify taking on debt for a program where actual graduate outcomes lag significantly behind peer institutions in the same state.