Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Grand Valley State University

Grand Valley State's Liberal Arts program delivers results that fall short of Michigan's in-state alternatives, despite keeping debt relatively contained. At $44,505 four years out, graduates earn about $6,600 less than the state median for this degree—landing in just the 40th percentile among Michigan programs. That gap matters: several comparable state universities, including Saginaw Valley State and Ferris State, produce graduates earning $4,000-$6,000 more annually with similar or lower debt loads.

The financial picture isn't dire—debt sits at $31,000, slightly above state norms but well below national averages, and the 0.87 debt-to-earnings ratio is manageable. The 24% earnings bump from year one to year four shows solid wage progression. But for Michigan families, the core question is value relative to in-state options. When Spring Arbor and Siena Heights graduates earn $40,000-$47,000 at the same career stage, Grand Valley's below-median performance becomes harder to justify, especially given its broad 95% admission rate suggests it's not offering a more selective academic experience in exchange.

If your child is set on Grand Valley for campus culture or specific opportunities, this program won't saddle them with crushing debt. But purely from an earnings standpoint, other Michigan schools are producing better outcomes in this field.