Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at University of Central Florida

UCF's Liberal Arts program punches well above its weight class. Graduates earn $48,391 in their first year—ahead of every Florida public university except Miami (a private school with significantly higher tuition), and ranking in the 95th percentile nationally for this degree. Just as impressive: the median debt of $15,135 is less than half the state average and creates a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.31, meaning graduates owe roughly four months of their first-year salary.

The earnings trajectory warrants attention—graduates actually see a slight dip to $47,044 by year four. This could reflect the nature of Liberal Arts careers, where early roles may offer more stability than dramatic growth, or it might indicate graduates are still finding their footing in chosen fields. Among Florida's 41 programs, this performance still lands in the 80th percentile, suggesting the slight decline is more about the field than this specific program.

For families concerned about the "what can you do with a Liberal Arts degree?" question, UCF provides a compelling answer: you can earn more than most business majors nationally while carrying minimal debt. At a selective but accessible public university (40% admission rate, 33% Pell-eligible), this program offers strong value for students who want broad intellectual training without financial burden. The lack of dramatic salary growth means this degree is a solid foundation, not a lottery ticket—but the low debt makes that tradeoff entirely reasonable.