Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Minnesota State University-Mankato

Minnesota State University-Mankato's associate degree in Liberal Arts might be convenient for location, but the numbers suggest you'd do better elsewhere in the state. At $27,187 a year after graduation, it earns about $5,000 less than the typical Minnesota program in this field, placing it in just the 25th percentile statewide. Several community colleges—including Inver Hills and Riverland—nearly double these initial outcomes, which raises questions about why you'd pay for a university program that underperforms Minnesota community colleges.

The 47% earnings jump to $39,899 by year four offers some optimism, and the debt load of $12,250 is manageable. However, with fewer than 30 graduates in the data, these figures might not represent your child's likely experience. The small cohort could mean this program is being phased out, serves a niche population, or simply has very low enrollment—any of which warrants investigation.

If your child is set on this field and Minnesota schools, start by looking at those community colleges with stronger track records. They'll cost less and appear to deliver better outcomes. If Mankato offers something unique—perhaps ease of transferring to a bachelor's program—confirm that the four-year pathway justifies the weaker associate-level results.