Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at University of Alaska Fairbanks

An associate's degree in general studies from UAF comes with an unusual combination: earnings nearly $11,000 above the national median for this field, but coupled with a slight earnings dip from year one to year four. While the program ranks in the 95th percentile nationally, it falls to the 60th percentile among Alaska's five schools offering this degree—and indeed, the $38,018 starting salary trails what you might expect given Alaska's higher cost of living and wage scales.

The debt picture looks favorable at first glance. At $19,563, graduates carry roughly half their first-year earnings in loans—manageable by most standards—and this debt level is exceptionally low compared to similar programs nationwide. However, the small sample size (fewer than 30 graduates) means these figures could shift significantly year to year. The slight earnings decline to $37,003 by year four also raises questions about career trajectory, though this could reflect the general-studies nature of the degree rather than the program itself.

For Alaska families, this program offers a relatively low-risk path to above-national-average earnings, with debt that won't be crushing. Just understand that general studies degrees typically serve as stepping stones rather than career endpoints, and you're betting on your child's ability to leverage this foundation into something more specialized.