Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Jacksonville University

Liberal arts programs in Florida reveal a challenging reality: while Jacksonville University's estimated outcomes fall squarely in line with the state median of $35,361, this positions graduates well behind Florida's strongest programs. The University of Miami produces nearly $15,000 more in first-year earnings, and even public universities like UCF and USF generate substantially higher returns—outcomes that matter when you're carrying substantial debt.

The estimated $30,624 debt load exceeds both the state and national medians for this degree, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.87. That's manageable on paper—you'd dedicate less than a year's salary to repaying loans—but leaves little cushion when starting salaries hover around $35,000. Similar Florida programs typically saddle graduates with about $5,000 less debt, and that difference becomes meaningful in the first years after graduation when every dollar counts.

These are estimates based on peer institutions since Jacksonville's cohort was too small for the Department of Education to report, adding uncertainty to an already modest financial picture. For families considering this investment, the question isn't whether liberal arts has value—it's whether this particular program, at this price point, positions a graduate competitively in Florida's market. The gap between Jacksonville's projected outcomes and the state's top performers suggests you'd need compelling non-financial reasons to choose this path.