Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Maryville University of Saint Louis

Missouri's liberal arts programs show surprising variation in outcomes, with top performers like William Jewell College producing first-year earnings above $50,000 while others cluster closer to the state median. Based on comparable bachelor's programs at similar Missouri institutions, Maryville graduates would enter with approximately $30,000 in debt and estimated earnings around $37,600—numbers that align almost exactly with state and national medians. The 0.80 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests manageable repayment, though it's worth noting this sits in the middle of the pack rather than standing out.

The real question is whether Maryville's broad liberal arts degree can match the outcomes of peer programs it's being benchmarked against. With a 94% admission rate and over a third of students receiving Pell grants, the university serves a different population than highly selective competitors, which could mean actual outcomes differ from these estimates. Similar programs typically see graduates land entry-level positions that don't immediately leverage their degree's full value, making the first few years financially tight even with moderate debt.

Given the uncertainty in these estimates, parents should focus on what's knowable: whether their student has a clear post-graduation plan that justifies the investment. A liberal arts degree works best when paired with internships, networking, or graduate school intentions—not as a default choice.