Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

LSU's flagship status doesn't translate to strong outcomes in this general studies program. Despite reasonable debt levels ($19,575), graduates earn just $24,879 in their first year—putting them in the 5th percentile nationally and landing below even Louisiana's modest state median of $32,688. While the 29% earnings growth to $32,029 by year four shows improvement, that still trails behind what graduates from smaller Louisiana schools like UL-Monroe and McNeese State earn right out of the gate.

The math here is straightforward: first-year earnings barely crack $2,000 per month before taxes, making that $20K debt load feel heavier than the 0.79 ratio suggests. Even the four-year mark doesn't catch up to what peer Louisiana programs deliver initially. For a flagship university with a 1248 average SAT, these outcomes are notably weak—regional competitors are outperforming LSU's general studies program by $3,000-$11,000 annually.

If your child is set on LSU, this particular major appears to be a weak choice compared to the university's stronger offerings. The moderate sample size adds some uncertainty, but the consistent underperformance against both state and national benchmarks is hard to ignore. Consider whether a more focused major at LSU or this field at a higher-performing Louisiana school might offer better value.