Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Rocky Mountain College

The $27,000 debt estimate aligns with national norms for liberal arts degrees, but the bigger story is how Rocky Mountain College's program appears to position against Montana's broader landscape. Similar programs across the state typically produce first-year earnings around $30,000—notably lower than the $36,000 national benchmark this estimate draws from. Montana State's two campuses, which do report actual outcomes, both cluster near that lower state figure, suggesting the national estimate may overstate what graduates here actually earn.

That gap matters when you're weighing nearly $27,000 in debt. If actual earnings track closer to Montana's typical $30,000, you're looking at a debt burden approaching 90% of first-year income rather than the estimated 74%. General studies degrees typically provide flexibility rather than direct career pipelines, which can mean slower earnings growth in early years. The school's 32% Pell enrollment suggests they serve students who may have fewer financial safety nets if job prospects don't materialize quickly.

Without this program's actual graduate outcomes, you're making this decision somewhat blind. The most prudent approach: contact Rocky Mountain's career services to learn where recent graduates actually landed and what they're earning. If they can't provide concrete placement data, that tells you something too—and might point toward Montana State's more transparent, lower-cost alternatives.