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

A bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts from Marquette comes with an estimated $27,000 in debt—right at the national median for this field—but the earnings picture based on comparable Wisconsin programs suggests first-year income around $43,714. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.62 is manageable compared to many humanities programs, though it's worth noting that several public universities in Wisconsin report higher actual outcomes for their Liberal Arts graduates, with UW-Green Bay alumni starting above $54,000.

The challenge here is that we're working entirely with estimates derived from peer programs rather than Marquette's own graduate outcomes, which the Department of Education suppresses due to small sample sizes. This could mean the program is genuinely small and specialized, or that tracking outcomes for this particular major proves difficult. What similar Wisconsin programs suggest is that Liberal Arts graduates in the state typically start above the national median of $36,340, placing this estimate in the reasonable range—but without knowing how Marquette's specific curriculum, alumni network, and Milwaukee location affect outcomes, you're essentially betting on the school's broader reputation.

The practical question: can your family absorb $27,000 in debt if the actual outcome lands below these estimates? If your child has clear graduate school plans or a specific career path that this degree supports, Marquette's Jesuit network and urban setting may add value beyond what these numbers capture. If not, the public university options in Wisconsin are reporting stronger verifiable outcomes with likely lower sticker prices.