Social Sciences at Minot State University

A $24,400 debt load for first-year earnings around $37,500 creates a manageable 0.65 debt-to-earnings ratio—though these figures are drawn from national peer programs rather than Minot State's actual graduates. That ratio suggests monthly loan payments consuming roughly 7% of gross income, which sits comfortably within the "affordable" range most financial advisors recommend. What's encouraging here is that the estimated earnings align with the national median for social sciences bachelor's programs, suggesting typical outcomes rather than underperformance, while the debt estimate runs slightly below the $25,500 national median for this major.

The comparison to University of North Dakota—the only program in the state with reported data—shows estimated earnings running about $3,000 higher at Minot State, though with less debt. Whether that difference reflects actual outcomes or just the limitations of estimation is impossible to know without real graduate data. North Dakota's social sciences market appears relatively modest compared to national benchmarks, with the state median trailing by nearly $3,000.

The practical question is whether you're comfortable making a financial decision based entirely on peer-program estimates. The debt burden appears reasonable if earnings materialize as projected, but you're essentially betting that Minot State's graduates perform similarly to the national pool. If your student has stronger in-state options with transparent outcomes data, those programs offer less guesswork about return on investment.