Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Ohio University-Lancaster Campus

Ohio University-Lancaster's liberal arts program charges significantly more than typical programs while delivering earnings that drop substantially after the first year. While graduates start strong at $36,942—ranking in the 95th percentile nationally—their median earnings fall to $30,774 by year four, representing a concerning 17% decline when most careers should be advancing.

The debt picture amplifies this concern. At $23,228, students borrow more than double the national median ($10,950) and considerably more than Ohio's typical debt load ($17,500) for similar programs. This creates a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63, meaning graduates owe nearly two-thirds of their first-year salary. While this isn't catastrophic, it's problematic given the earnings decline that follows.

Within Ohio, this program sits at the 60th percentile for earnings—decent but not exceptional given the premium price. Several other Ohio schools, including Marion Technical College, deliver substantially higher earnings for similar programs. The robust sample size of 100+ graduates makes these patterns reliable, not statistical noise.

For families considering this program, the fundamental issue is paying premium prices for outcomes that deteriorate over time. Unless your child has compelling reasons to attend this specific campus, Ohio offers better value propositions elsewhere in the state system.