Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies at University of Connecticut-Stamford

UConn-Stamford's Ethnic Studies program outperforms most programs in this field nationally—ranking in the 87th percentile—but these impressive numbers come with a major asterisk: they're based on fewer than 30 graduates. That small sample means a few successful alumni can skew the results dramatically. Still, the $39,343 first-year earnings figure beats the national median by $8,000 and matches the median across all Connecticut schools offering this program, which is noteworthy given that UConn-Stamford serves a largely Pell-eligible student body (50% receive aid).

The debt picture looks reasonable at first glance—$26,262 is below the 75th percentile nationally—but that 0.67 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates are borrowing two-thirds of their first year's salary. For context, this is in the middle range for humanities and social science programs, where earning potential typically builds over time rather than immediately after graduation. The real question is whether these early earnings hold steady, which we can't determine from this data alone.

Given the small sample size, treat these numbers as directional rather than definitive. If your child is drawn to this field and values UConn's academic reputation at a regional campus price point, the early outcomes suggest it's working for some graduates. But press the school for placement data and career outcomes—with so few students, individual success stories matter more than aggregated statistics.