Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Union College

Union College graduates with liberal arts degrees earn substantially more than their peers—landing in the 91st percentile nationally and 80th percentile among New York programs. That $45,516 first-year salary beats the national median by nearly $10,000, a meaningful gap for a generalist degree that's often criticized for weak earnings. Among the 87 schools in New York offering this major, Union consistently outperforms the state median of $35,817.

The $24,500 debt load sits right at the state average but below the national median, producing a manageable 0.54 debt-to-earnings ratio. Graduates reach rough financial breakeven within six months of starting work. That said, this isn't Cornell-level prestige (where liberal arts grads earn similar amounts but from a global-brand institution), and it trails specialized programs at smaller schools like Molloy or Excelsior that top $50,000. The modest 7% earnings growth to year four suggests this degree opens doors to steady jobs rather than high-trajectory careers.

For families willing to pay selective-college tuition, Union delivers on the promise: their liberal arts graduates actually outearn peers and carry reasonable debt. The moderate sample size confirms this isn't a fluke from a handful of outliers. If your child thrives in Union's residential learning environment and you're comfortable with a humanities degree, the financial outcome beats what most schools provide for this major.