Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at University of St Thomas

These numbers reveal a troubling reality: graduates earn just $14,747 one year after completing this associate's degree—less than half the Minnesota median for this program and barely above minimum wage full-time work. Among the 39 Minnesota schools offering this degree, St. Thomas ranks in the bottom 10th percentile for earnings. Even top-performing Minnesota community colleges like Inver Hills ($41,906) and Riverland ($38,856) produce outcomes nearly three times better, raising serious questions about what's happening here.

The low debt load of $4,500 provides some consolation, but it doesn't change the fundamental problem: these graduates aren't positioned for financial independence in their first year. At a school with an 85% admission rate and relatively strong SAT scores (1296), you'd expect better employment outcomes or clearer pathways to bachelor's degree completion. The pattern suggests either students are continuing their education elsewhere (which might justify the low initial earnings) or they're struggling to convert this credential into meaningful work.

If your child plans to immediately transfer these credits toward a bachelor's degree at St. Thomas or another institution, this might make sense as a stepping stone. But as a standalone credential for entering the workforce, this program significantly underperforms both state and national benchmarks. Unless there's a clear transfer plan in place, Minnesota's community college options deliver far stronger early career outcomes for this type of degree.