Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at University of Connecticut

UConn's Liberal Arts and Sciences program outperforms 86% of similar programs nationally—a significant achievement for a degree often dismissed as impractical. With first-year earnings of $44,240 against $22,000 in debt, graduates face a manageable 0.50 debt-to-earnings ratio, half what they owe compared to what they earn. That's a stronger position than most liberal arts programs deliver, where debt often equals or exceeds first-year income.

Within Connecticut, the picture is more nuanced. UConn sits at the 60th percentile statewide, essentially matching the Connecticut median for this program. Yale predictably dominates at $61,000, but UConn holds its own against the state's other options. The 8% earnings growth to nearly $48,000 by year four suggests graduates are finding their footing in the job market, though the trajectory is modest rather than steep.

The moderate sample size warrants some caution, but the fundamentals are solid: significantly above-average national performance with reasonable debt. For Connecticut families paying in-state tuition, this represents a credible path for students who thrive in broad, interdisciplinary study. The program won't match the earning power of technical fields, but it avoids the debt trap that plagues many liberal arts degrees elsewhere.