Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at University of Saint Mary

Is $29,000 in debt reasonable for a liberal arts degree that starts around $41,000? Based on comparable programs across Kansas, this appears workable but not generous. The estimated first-year earnings—derived from six similar Kansas programs—put graduates right at the state median for this degree, suggesting University of Saint Mary performs neither better nor worse than most in-state options. The 0.70 debt-to-earnings ratio falls comfortably below the 1.0 threshold where loan payments typically become burdensome.

What's less certain is trajectory. Liberal arts degrees are notoriously difficult to track because graduates scatter across industries—teaching, nonprofits, business, graduate school—making first-year earnings a particularly incomplete picture. The $29,000 debt load sits slightly above the national median for this degree ($27,000) but below Kansas averages, which matters if career advancement is slower than hoped. For context, the top-performing Kansas programs with actual reported data show earnings clustering in the low $40,000s, so this estimate seems realistic but offers little margin for error.

The practical takeaway: this program appears financially neutral rather than advantageous. If your student has clear career goals that require this degree—secondary education, graduate school preparation, specific nonprofit work—the debt is manageable. If they're uncertain about direction, that same debt becomes riskier without the earnings premium that might come from a more specialized credential.