Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Trinity Washington University

Trinity Washington's liberal arts program earns $50,000 annually for graduates—an impressive 38% above the national median for this field. That's a notable achievement for an open-admission institution serving a majority low-income student body. However, there's a crucial catch: within DC, where the median for this program is $58,500, Trinity ranks in just the 40th percentile. For context, Georgetown graduates in this field earn $66,700. The $36,000 in student debt is steeper than what comparable programs charge both nationally and locally, though the 0.72 debt-to-earnings ratio remains manageable.

The real question is geographic. Trinity's graduates do well compared to liberal arts majors nationwide, but they're earning $8,200 less than the typical DC graduate in this field. That gap matters in an expensive city. For students planning to stay in the Washington area after graduation, that persistent earnings disadvantage could compound over time, especially when carrying above-average debt.

This program makes most sense for students who need Trinity's accessibility—the 99% admission rate and support for Pell-eligible students—and who recognize they're trading some earning potential for access to a degree. If your child has options at American University or other DC institutions with stronger earnings outcomes, those deserve serious consideration despite potentially lower admission rates.