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

A debt load of roughly $25,000 against first-year earnings around $36,000 sounds manageable on paper, but the context here matters considerably. These figures come from other liberal arts programs across New York, not Manhattan University's actual graduates, because too few students completed this degree to generate reliable data. That alone tells you something important—this isn't a heavily enrolled pathway at this school.

What's striking is how wide the range runs among New York's liberal arts programs. The top performers—Molloy at nearly $75,000, even Cornell at $46,000—suggest that outcomes in this field depend heavily on institutional networks, career services, and what students do with the degree. At the estimated $36,000 mark, Manhattan University's program appears to track right at the state and national median, which means typical rather than exceptional outcomes.

The 0.69 debt-to-earnings ratio sits in reasonable territory, but "reasonable" for a general studies degree means your child will need a clear plan for what comes after graduation. These programs work best as foundations for graduate school, teacher certification, or specific career pivots—not as standalone credentials. Without knowing how Manhattan University's career outcomes actually stack up, you're essentially betting on the broader liberal arts market in New York, where results vary dramatically by what students build around the degree.