Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Texas A&M University-Central Texas

Texas A&M University-Central Texas graduates emerge with notably less debt than their peers—$22,688 versus a state median of $26,875—but their earnings lag behind other Texas liberal arts programs. At $38,253 in the first year, graduates earn slightly below the state median of $38,829 and rank in just the 40th percentile among Texas schools offering this degree. Compare this to UT Austin's $45,243 or even Lamar University's $43,524, and the gap becomes meaningful. The 100% admission rate and 48% Pell grant enrollment signal this university serves many first-generation and lower-income students, which adds important context to these outcomes.

The silver lining is the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.59, which is manageable, and earnings do grow 15% to $43,986 by year four. Still, even that four-year mark falls short of what top graduates earn immediately after graduation at some other Texas schools. For a parent whose child has admission offers from multiple Texas universities, this program doesn't make the strongest case financially.

If cost is the primary concern and your student is already connected to the Killeen area, the lower debt burden matters. But if other options exist—particularly at UT Austin, private universities like St. Thomas, or even regional schools like Lamar—those programs deliver stronger earning power that could justify slightly higher debt loads.