Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne

A liberal arts bachelor's degree carrying $27,000 in debt while leading to $36,000 in first-year earnings—figures drawn from comparable Indiana programs—sits right at the national median for this field. That 0.75 debt-to-earnings ratio is manageable, roughly equivalent to three-quarters of a year's salary, but the absolute earnings figure raises questions about return on investment at a private institution.

The estimated salary trails substantially behind Indiana's strongest liberal arts programs. Notre Dame graduates in this field earn around $45,500, and even regional competitors like Indiana Wesleyan and University of Indianapolis report outcomes in the $43,000-44,000 range. That $7,000-9,000 gap matters when you're starting at $36,000—it represents months of additional loan payments and delayed savings. With 43% of students qualifying for Pell grants and a near-open admission policy, Saint Francis serves students who may be price-sensitive, making that earnings differential particularly relevant.

The core challenge here is whether a private university education in a generalist humanities degree justifies costs similar to more focused programs that typically command higher starting salaries. Without school-specific outcomes data, you're essentially betting that Saint Francis delivers results comparable to the median Indiana liberal arts program. If your child thrives in smaller, mission-driven environments and the net cost after financial aid brings debt below these estimates, that bet becomes more reasonable. But if paying full freight, the modest projected earnings suggest looking hard at public alternatives.