Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at University of Colorado Boulder

A bachelor's in Liberal Arts from CU Boulder appears to carry roughly $25,000 in debt—on par with Colorado's public universities—but earnings data from peer programs suggests concerning first-year returns. Based on four similar Liberal Arts programs across Colorado, graduates typically earn around $39,000 in their first year, which edges above the national median but translates to a debt burden equal to about 65% of that initial salary.

What makes this picture more troubling is the comparison to other Colorado institutions where actual outcomes are reported. Colorado Mesa grads in this major earn $42,000 right out of the gate, while Adams State graduates clear nearly $40,000. Meanwhile, even CSU Fort Collins—with its stronger brand recognition—shows first-year earnings of just $34,500 for Liberal Arts majors. This wide variation suggests that Liberal Arts degrees produce unpredictable returns even within the same state system, and CU Boulder's lack of reportable data means you're essentially making an investment based on what happens at other schools.

The practical reality: your child would likely need to manage debt payments on a starting salary that offers little cushion for loan repayment, rent, and living expenses in Colorado's increasingly expensive cities. Unless they have a specific graduate school path or career trajectory that values the CU Boulder credential specifically, you're paying flagship tuition for outcomes that peer programs produce with similar or lower debt loads—and that's assuming the estimates hold true.