Non-Professional General Legal Studies (Undergraduate) at University of Massachusetts-Amherst

UMass Amherst's legal studies program starts rocky but eventually catches up—though the journey matters. New graduates earn $36,181, trailing both the Massachusetts median ($40,268) and sitting in just the 40th percentile statewide. In Massachusetts, where Suffolk University graduates start at $44,354, that initial gap is meaningful. The $23,000 debt load is actually lower than both state and national medians, which helps, but that first year still requires careful budgeting.

The story improves substantially by year four, when earnings jump to $60,512—a 67% increase that suggests graduates either find their footing in legal support roles or pivot successfully to other fields. This late-career acceleration is this program's strongest selling point. However, compare that trajectory to Bentley's legal studies graduates who start near $73,000, and you see the cost of the slow launch.

For families banking on immediate post-graduation earnings to manage debt, this program requires patience. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.64 is manageable, but only if your child can weather that lean first year—likely through continued parental support or supplemental income. If they're targeting paralegal work or legal administration and can afford to start slowly, the eventual payoff is reasonable. Just know they'll be playing catch-up initially against peers from higher-performing Massachusetts programs.