Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Indiana Institute of Technology-College of Professional Studies

Based on comparable programs across Indiana, this bachelor's degree appears to deliver roughly what the market offers for general studies degrees—estimated first-year earnings around $36,000 against $27,000 in debt. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.75 is manageable by conventional standards, though the moderate earnings level means graduates would likely face several years of payments on an income that doesn't leave much cushion. With 53% of students receiving Pell grants, many families here are already stretching financially, making that timeline matter more.

The challenge is context. While Indiana Tech's estimated outcomes align with state and national medians for this major, other Indiana schools with reported data show significantly higher earnings—Notre Dame and Indiana Wesleyan graduates earn $8,000-$10,000 more in their first year. That gap suggests the degree's value may depend heavily on what happens beyond the credential itself: internships, networks, or specific career paths that a general studies program doesn't guarantee.

For families banking on this degree opening doors, the estimates suggest it will get you through them, but not far beyond. The debt is serviceable if employment is steady, but there's little financial momentum in those first years. If your student has a clear plan for leveraging this foundation—graduate school, a specific employer, entrepreneurship—it becomes more defensible. Without that plan, comparable programs at institutions with stronger placement outcomes might deliver better returns.