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

Morgan State's Liberal Arts program outperforms expectations in a field where many graduates struggle financially. At $39,699 in first-year earnings, graduates land in the 60th percentile among Maryland programs—meaningful given the state's higher-than-average costs. The debt load of $32,512 sits well below typical levels for this major, creating a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.82 that's better than most liberal arts programs achieve.

Context matters here: over half of Morgan State students receive Pell grants, indicating this HBCU serves a predominantly low-income population. For these students, earning nearly $40,000 straight out of college with reasonable debt represents genuine economic mobility. The program beats the Maryland state median by over $3,000 annually—a notable gap when comparing outcomes across the state's 14 programs.

The tradeoff is straightforward. Your child won't reach Notre Dame of Maryland's $48,819 outcomes, but they'll avoid the debt burden that often comes with private institutions while still clearing the crucial threshold of earning more than they owe. For students who need financial aid and want the supportive environment of an HBCU, Morgan State delivers reliable, if not spectacular, returns on a liberal arts degree.