Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Mayville State University

A $34,306 starting salary places Mayville State's Liberal Arts program in the bottom quarter among North Dakota institutions—trailing the state median by more than $8,600 and falling well short of what graduates earn at Minot State ($44,614) or UND ($42,948). For families banking on North Dakota's typically strong outcomes, this represents a significant gap. The debt load of $27,926 hovers near both state and national medians, but when paired with below-average earnings, it translates to a debt-to-income ratio of 0.81—workable but not comfortable for a humanities graduate likely facing modest salary growth.

The critical caveat: this data reflects fewer than 30 graduates, making these numbers potentially volatile year-to-year. A single cohort's career choices can swing outcomes dramatically at this scale. That said, the pattern—below-median earnings both statewide and nationally (39th percentile)—suggests this isn't just statistical noise. For North Dakota families considering liberal arts degrees, the in-state alternatives appear to deliver materially better financial positioning. If your student is set on Mayville State, understand they're likely starting their career at a disadvantage compared to peers at larger state universities, with the same debt burden but $10,000 less in immediate earning power.