Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Gustavus Adolphus College

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.74 sounds reasonable on paper, but the concerning element here is that both figures come from national estimates rather than Gustavus Adolphus's own outcomes. Based on comparable liberal arts programs nationwide, this degree suggests first-year earnings around $36,340 with roughly $27,000 in debt—numbers that align with typical humanities graduates. But Minnesota's liberal arts programs tell a different story. The state median for this field sits at $52,930, with the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities producing graduates earning $56,778 and even Metropolitan State hitting $49,083. If Gustavus's actual outcomes track closer to these Minnesota figures, the debt burden becomes far more manageable. If they don't, you're looking at a much tougher financial start.

The lack of reported data makes it impossible to know where Gustavus falls in this range. Given the school's 1320 average SAT and 62% admission rate, it's positioned as a selective private liberal arts college—the type of institution that often leverages alumni networks and reputation to place graduates above national averages. However, without confirmation of actual earnings, you're paying private college prices while banking on outcomes that might materialize or might not. Before committing to $27,000 in debt, insist on seeing placement data, alumni outcomes, or career services metrics that demonstrate this particular program delivers results closer to Minnesota's stronger performers than to the national baseline.