Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Long Island University

A bachelor's in liberal arts from Long Island University will likely saddle graduates with around $25,000 in debt while launching them into careers earning approximately $36,000—figures drawn from similar programs across New York. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69 sits in reasonable territory, but the challenge becomes clearer when you look at what other New York liberal arts programs deliver. Schools like Molloy and Cornell place their graduates at earnings more than double what comparable programs suggest for LIU, raising questions about whether this particular degree opens the same doors.

The core issue isn't the debt load itself—$25,000 is manageable compared to many bachelor's programs. It's that first-year earnings based on peer programs barely edge above $35,000, leaving little financial cushion for loan payments, living expenses in the New York metro area, and building savings. Liberal arts degrees derive their value from the networks, internships, and career services that help graduates translate broad skills into specific opportunities. Without actual outcome data for LIU's program, it's impossible to know whether they're delivering those crucial bridges to employment.

If your child is set on liberal arts at LIU, push hard for details the school can provide directly: where recent graduates actually landed jobs, what career support looks like, and how their alumni network functions in practice. The estimates suggest a financially tight start, and you'll want concrete evidence that this program offers advantages beyond what the typical New York liberal arts degree provides.