Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Tarleton State University

Tarleton State's liberal arts program sits solidly in the middle of the pack—and that's actually the problem. With first-year earnings of $35,270, graduates trail both the state median ($38,829) and national average by several thousand dollars, placing the program in the 40th percentile among Texas schools. For a degree that costs $26,875 in median debt, you're looking at returns below what similar programs deliver across the state.

The 22% earnings growth to $42,890 by year four offers some optimism, but context matters: even at that improved level, graduates still earn less than what many comparable Texas programs deliver right out of the gate. University of St. Thomas liberal arts grads, for instance, start at $53,187—a $17,917 premium that would take Tarleton graduates years to approach. The debt burden itself isn't excessive relative to first-year earnings (0.76 ratio), but neither debt nor earnings stand out favorably.

For families choosing Tarleton primarily for its accessibility and lower cost of attendance, this program delivers predictable but modest outcomes. However, if your child has admission options at UT Austin or private universities with stronger humanities networks, the earnings gap suggests those alternatives merit serious consideration despite potentially higher sticker prices.