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

That first-year salary of $25,595 should set off alarm bells—it places Pace's liberal arts program in the bottom 5% nationally and well below New York's median of $35,817. While the small sample size means these figures aren't definitive, they suggest graduates are struggling to gain financial traction immediately after graduation. The debt load of $25,229 nearly equals that first year's entire earnings, creating a precarious financial situation right out of college.

The good news is earnings nearly double by year four, reaching $44,877 and finally exceeding both state and national medians. This catch-up pattern suggests the degree does eventually pay dividends—possibly because graduates need time to convert a general liberal arts education into marketable career paths. But that four-year wait means surviving three years of financial strain while making student loan payments.

For families considering this program, the math works only if you can weather those difficult early years without defaulting on loans or accumulating credit card debt. If your child needs immediate earnings to support themselves or help the family, this trajectory poses real risks. The stronger alternative? Look at how liberal arts programs at Cornell or Union College in New York deliver much higher starting salaries—or consider whether a more specialized major at Pace itself might offer a clearer path to early career earnings.