Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

UW-Eau Claire's Liberal Arts program starts strong with first-year earnings of $43,714—well above the national median and right at Wisconsin's median for this field. Graduates carry relatively modest debt ($21,312, versus $27,000 nationally), giving them a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49. That's a solid starting point for a broad humanities degree.

The concern here is trajectory. By year four, earnings drop to $40,005, an 8% decline that's unusual for any bachelor's program. Among Wisconsin's liberal arts offerings, this program sits at the 60th percentile—decent, but behind schools like UW-Green Bay ($54,436) and UW-Oshkosh ($50,438). The small sample size (under 30 graduates) makes these numbers less reliable than we'd like, so this downward trend could be statistical noise rather than a real pattern.

For parents, this means weighing affordability against uncertainty. The debt burden is reasonable, and initial outcomes are respectable. But with limited data and earnings that appear to stall or decline, it's worth investigating what specific career paths these graduates pursue and whether the degree serves more as a stepping stone to graduate school than a terminal credential. At this price point, it's a defensible choice if your student has clear goals—just don't expect strong wage growth in the first few years.