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

A bachelor's in legal studies at this institution carries an estimated $23,000 in debt—a manageable load given what similar California programs suggest about earning potential. Based on three peer programs in the state, first-year earnings typically land around $43,900, which puts the debt-to-earnings ratio at 0.52. That's reasonable for a four-year degree, meaning graduates would owe roughly half their annual salary, well below concerning thresholds.

The challenge is that legal studies sits in an unusual space: it's not law school, so you're not preparing to practice law, but it's also more specialized than general liberal arts. Comparable programs across the state show considerable range—UC Berkeley grads earn the same $43,900, while University of La Verne alumni pull in $49,000, and UC Santa Cruz graduates start closer to $37,000. The field typically feeds into compliance roles, paralegal work, or corporate positions where legal knowledge matters but a JD doesn't. That creates real career pathways, but also means you're competing with people who have different credentials for similar positions.

For families weighing this program, the debt burden appears modest enough that your graduate isn't locked into an immediate financial squeeze. But understand that you're looking at estimates drawn from a small pool of similar programs—the actual outcomes here remain unknown because too few students have graduated to report. That uncertainty matters when the degree itself sits in a competitive middle ground between law school and business administration.