Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Saginaw Valley State University

Should you pay $39K in debt for a liberal arts degree that starts at $41K? The small sample here makes definitive conclusions tricky, but Saginaw Valley's numbers tell an unusually positive story for this often-criticized major. While the debt load sits higher than both state and national medians for liberal arts programs, graduates nearly double their national peer earnings by year four, reaching $57K. That's impressive growth from an accessible state university with a 73% admission rate.

Among Michigan's 29 liberal arts programs, this one lands solidly in the middle for starting earnings—behind private schools like Spring Arbor and Siena Heights, but competitive with larger state institutions. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.95 is manageable, not exceptional, meaning graduates face roughly 11 months of their first-year salary in loans. But here's the key: that 40% earnings jump to year four suggests these graduates are finding professional pathways that actually use their degrees, not just survival jobs.

The caveat matters: with fewer than 30 graduates in the data, a few outliers could be skewing these results upward. If your student thrives in smaller environments and wants the flexibility of a liberal arts foundation at an in-state price, this program shows real promise. Just know you're working with limited evidence—not a dealbreaker, but worth acknowledging.