Non-Professional General Legal Studies (Undergraduate) at Roger Williams University

A $27,000 debt load for a degree that produces first-year earnings around $39,000 sounds manageable on paper—comparable programs nationally show similar patterns—but the reality for legal studies undergrads deserves a closer look. This isn't a paralegal certificate or law school; it's a bachelor's degree that often leads to administrative or support roles in legal settings, where salaries can stay flat for years. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69 suggests you'd need to dedicate roughly eight months of gross pay to clear the debt, which is workable but leaves little cushion if your graduate needs time to find the right position or faces Rhode Island's relatively high cost of living.

What complicates this picture is that we're working entirely with estimates—both the earnings and debt figures come from peer programs nationally, not from Roger Williams specifically. The school's 88% admission rate and modest SAT scores suggest it serves a broad student population, which could mean graduates face varied outcomes depending on networking, internships, and local job markets. With only one school offering this program in Rhode Island, you won't find state-specific comparisons to gauge whether Roger Williams stands out.

The practical question: Does your child have a clear path into legal employment, perhaps through family connections or targeted internships? Without that clarity, a general legal studies degree at this price point carries real risk of underemployment. Look hard at Roger Williams' career placement data and alumni outcomes before committing.