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

A bachelor's in general studies from Madonna University carries an estimated debt load of $30,829—higher than both the national median ($27,000) and most comparable Michigan programs. Based on similar Michigan programs, first-year earnings around $37,904 would put graduates at about the state median for this field, but that still yields a debt-to-earnings ratio above 0.8. For context, a graduate earning that amount would be dedicating roughly 18% of gross monthly income just to standard student loan payments, leaving little margin for error in a field not known for rapid salary growth.

The earnings estimate aligns with national benchmarks, but it's worth noting that other Michigan schools with reported outcomes—Spring Arbor, Siena Heights, Baker College—show their general studies graduates earning $42,000 to $47,000 in year one. Whether Madonna's program would perform similarly or closer to the median is impossible to say with certainty given the suppressed data, but the debt burden here is concrete and steeper than what families encounter at most peer institutions.

The practical concern: even in a best-case scenario matching those higher-performing programs, you'd still be looking at four or five years to pay down this debt. If outcomes track closer to the median, that timeline extends considerably. For a degree this broad, where the career pathway often depends heavily on what the student makes of it rather than what the credential itself delivers, starting with $31,000 in debt raises the stakes substantially.