Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at The College of Saint Scholastica

In Minnesota, liberal arts programs typically produce first-year earnings around $53,000—nearly 50% higher than the $36,000 national benchmark this program appears to track. That gap matters when you're carrying $27,000 in debt, which is roughly what peer programs at similar private colleges suggest for this credential. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.74 isn't alarming on its own, but it assumes earnings that may not materialize for Saint Scholastica graduates if the program follows national rather than Minnesota patterns.

The comparison to other Minnesota programs is sobering. The University of Minnesota-Twin Cities reports first-year earnings of nearly $57,000 for similar graduates, while even Metropolitan State—a more accessible public option—shows $49,000. If Saint Scholastica's actual outcomes lean closer to the national median rather than Minnesota's stronger state average, graduates would need more than eight months of gross income just to cover their estimated debt, making it harder to build financial stability early in their careers.

Without actual earnings data for this specific program, parents should approach this as a higher-risk choice. The 94% admission rate and modest test scores suggest the school serves students who need access, which is valuable—but that shouldn't come at the cost of unclear employment outcomes. Before committing, get concrete information from the school about where recent graduates actually work and what they earn, especially compared to Minnesota's public universities.