Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Indiana University-South Bend

A $25,000 investment in IU South Bend's liberal arts degree yields solidly middle-of-the-road returns. Graduates start at $34,000—trailing both the national median ($36,000) and Indiana's median ($36,000) by about $2,000, though earnings do climb to $38,000 by year four. The debt load sits slightly below state and national benchmarks, which at least means students aren't overpaying for these below-average outcomes. Among Indiana's 39 liberal arts programs, this lands squarely in the middle, ranking at the 40th percentile.

The gap between IU South Bend and Indiana's top performers is substantial. Notre Dame grads in this field earn $12,000 more annually—a 33% premium—while even regional competitors like the University of Indianapolis deliver outcomes 14% better. For a school serving a largely working-class population (41% receive Pell grants), these modest returns matter: a 0.75 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates spend most of their first year's salary paying down loans.

The case for this program rests on access and affordability rather than exceptional career outcomes. If your child needs to stay local and values the IU name recognition at an 86% admission rate, the manageable debt keeps this from being a poor choice. But families should enter with realistic expectations—this is a credential that leads to steady, if unspectacular, earnings in the high-30s range, not a pathway to significantly better opportunities than the typical Indiana liberal arts graduate enjoys.