Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Saint Cloud State University

The missing data here tells an important story on its own. When too few graduates from a program provide earnings information for the Department of Education to publish results, it raises questions about program size and career tracking. The estimated figures—$36,340 in first-year earnings and $26,662 in debt—are derived from national patterns across hundreds of similar programs, but they reveal a striking gap with Minnesota's reality.

Liberal arts programs across Minnesota typically produce median earnings of $52,930, nearly $16,000 more than what national peer programs suggest for Saint Cloud State. The state's two largest programs, at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and Metropolitan State University, both report outcomes substantially higher than these estimates. Whether Saint Cloud State's actual outcomes align more closely with national patterns or with other Minnesota schools remains unclear due to the suppressed data. The debt estimate, at least, tracks closely with Minnesota's $26,698 median.

For a parent, this uncertainty is the core issue. A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.73 appears manageable on paper, but it assumes earnings that may not reflect what Minnesota liberal arts graduates actually achieve. Before committing, push the school for concrete placement data: where recent graduates are working, typical starting salaries, and why their outcomes aren't robust enough for federal reporting. The wide open admission (95%) suggests access, but you need evidence of outcomes.