Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Indiana Wesleyan University-National & Global

Indiana Wesleyan's associate program in liberal arts demonstrates what higher debt can buy: graduates earn $43,511 in their first year—60% above the national median and nearly $14,000 more than Indiana's typical liberal arts associate earner. This ranks in the 95th percentile nationally and 80th in Indiana, essentially tying this program with IWU's Marion campus as the state's top performer. For a degree category that typically struggles with low earnings, these outcomes are exceptional.

The tradeoff is debt. At $24,688, graduates carry more than double the national median for this program, though the 0.57 debt-to-earnings ratio remains manageable—about half a year's salary. The debt matches Indiana's state median, meaning it's typical for the state but high compared to liberal arts programs nationally. With nearly half the student body receiving Pell grants, this suggests the institution serves working adults who may already have some college credits or job experience, which likely contributes to the strong earnings.

For parents weighing this program, the calculation is straightforward: your student will borrow more than at most community colleges offering this degree, but they'll earn substantially more from day one. That $14,000 annual earnings advantage over Indiana's median more than justifies the additional debt, provided your student completes the degree and enters the workforce prepared to leverage it.