Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Northeastern University

A bachelor's degree from one of the nation's most selective universities—with a 6% admission rate and average SAT scores near 1500—paired with first-year earnings around $39,000 raises real questions about return on investment. Based on comparable liberal arts programs in Massachusetts, graduates typically start near the state median, which sits well below what students at this caliber of institution might reasonably expect. Meanwhile, peer programs at MIT and Bentley produce nearly double or triple these earnings, though those likely draw from different student populations with more pre-professional orientations.

The estimated $27,000 in debt looks manageable in isolation—it's roughly in line with what similar programs carry nationally. But context matters: Northeastern commands premium tuition, and students here are competing academically with those heading into far more lucrative fields. A 0.68 debt-to-earnings ratio isn't alarming on its face, yet it reflects a modest financial start for graduates who likely had strong academic alternatives. The disconnect isn't about the debt load itself but about whether this particular path maximizes the credential's value at this specific institution.

For families considering this program, the key question is whether the Northeastern brand and network justify outcomes that mirror state averages rather than exceeding them. If your student is passionate about liberal arts but wants financial security, you'll want concrete answers about career support, internship pipelines, and how this program specifically leverages Northeastern's co-op model—because the earnings estimates alone don't tell a compelling story.