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

Metropolitan State's Liberal Arts program produces graduates earning $49,083 in their first year—well above the $36,340 national median but below Minnesota's state median of $52,930. That 40th percentile state ranking matters because Minnesota has an unusually strong cluster of liberal arts programs, so being middle-of-the-pack here still means outperforming most programs nationally. The gap to University of Minnesota's $56,778 isn't insurmountable, and the earnings trajectory looks solid with 17% growth by year four.

The tradeoff comes in the debt load. At $32,145, graduates carry about $5,500 more than the typical Minnesota liberal arts student and $5,000 above the national median—a premium that's harder to justify given the university's 96% acceptance rate and modest academic profile. Still, the 0.65 debt-to-earnings ratio remains manageable, meaning graduates owe roughly eight months of their first-year salary.

For families choosing between Metropolitan State and pricier options like the U of M, this program offers 86% of that flagship's first-year earnings at what's likely a lower total cost of attendance. The higher debt relative to state peers should prompt questions about financial aid packaging, but the combination of strong absolute earnings and steady growth makes this a defensible choice for students who value Metropolitan State's flexible scheduling and urban location.