Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion

Indiana Wesleyan's associate's program achieves something remarkable: graduates earn nearly $44,000 in their first year—60% more than the national median for these degrees and 47% above Indiana's state median. That places this program in the 95th percentile nationally and 80th percentile statewide, essentially tying for top earnings among Indiana's 28 programs in this field. For an accessible institution with an 82% admission rate, these outcomes are exceptional.

The tradeoff is debt. At roughly $25,000, graduates carry more than double the national median for this degree type, though the 0.57 debt-to-earnings ratio remains manageable—well below the concerning 1.0 threshold. Graduates should realistically expect to dedicate about 7 months of gross income to repaying this debt, assuming standard repayment terms. Earnings remain stable through year four rather than growing substantially, suggesting graduates quickly reach their ceiling.

For parents evaluating this program, the math works: your child borrows more but earns significantly more from day one. The premium debt buys premium outcomes in a degree category that typically struggles to generate strong earnings. If your student is set on a general studies associate's, this represents one of the strongest value propositions in Indiana, delivering income levels that rival bachelor's holders in many fields while requiring just two years of study.