Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Saint Mary's College

A $27,000 debt load for estimated first-year earnings around $36,000 creates a workable, if unremarkable, financial foundation. Similar liberal arts programs in Indiana typically produce this earnings level, which lands right at the national median for the field. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.75 suggests graduates could manage repayment on standard ten-year plans, though there's little cushion for the unexpected.

The challenge becomes clearer when you look at Indiana's strongest liberal arts programs. Notre Dame graduates in this field earn nearly $10,000 more in their first year, and several other Indiana schools cluster in the low-$40,000s. Saint Mary's peer programs suggest earnings that trail these options by 15-20%, a significant gap when monthly loan payments begin. For context, the college draws students who are academically solid—the 1233 SAT average is respectable—but may not be positioned to compete for the highest-paying entry-level opportunities that similar programs produce elsewhere in the state.

If your daughter values the specific environment Saint Mary's offers and has realistic expectations about early-career earnings, the debt here won't be crushing. But if maximizing return on a liberal arts degree matters, understand that other Indiana programs appear to produce meaningfully better outcomes. Ask the school directly about career placement rates and median salaries for recent graduates to fill in what these estimates can't tell you.