Non-Professional General Legal Studies (Undergraduate) at Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale

A legal studies degree costing $54,000 that starts at $30,000 might sound alarming, but this program shows unexpected resilience. While first-year earnings land in just the 11th percentile nationally, they jump 47% by year four—reaching $44,249. That's roughly on par with UCF's program, which starts higher but shows less growth. More telling: among Florida's 14 legal studies programs, this lands squarely in the middle despite serving a predominantly Pell-eligible student body (58%) often locked out of higher-performing options.

The debt load is genuinely heavy—more than double the state median of $21,422. That 1.79 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates are borrowing nearly twice their starting salary, requiring careful budgeting in those early years. However, by year four, that ratio improves significantly as earnings climb. For context, University of Miami's program starts at $50,000 but costs substantially more in tuition.

This program works best for students who need the access that Keiser's 97% admission rate provides and can weather lower initial earnings while building toward mid-career stability. If your child has competitive credentials for UCF or can minimize borrowing through aid or family support, those factors shift the calculus. But for students priced out of alternatives, the earnings trajectory suggests this isn't a financial dead-end—just a slower start.