Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Mary Baldwin University

Mary Baldwin's Liberal Arts program occupies an uncomfortable middle ground: it outperforms the national median by about $4,500 annually, but lags behind Virginia's state median by roughly $3,400. Among Virginia's 31 programs, this ranks at the 40th percentile—meaning six out of ten in-state alternatives deliver stronger earnings. The comparison is particularly stark against nearby competitors like James Madison ($49,408) or Bridgewater College ($46,820), which offer graduates nearly $10,000 more in annual income while charging similar debt levels.

The earnings trajectory adds to the concern. Rather than growing after graduation, median income actually declines 7% from year one to year four—dropping from $40,887 to $37,993. While the debt burden isn't excessive (essentially two-thirds of first-year earnings), you're still asking your child to take on $27,000 for a program that underperforms half the state's offerings.

The caveat here matters: with fewer than 30 graduates in the sample, these numbers could shift considerably with a larger cohort. That said, if you're choosing between Virginia schools, the data suggests looking at programs with stronger track records before committing to Mary Baldwin's Liberal Arts degree.