Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Valparaiso University

Valparaiso's Liberal Arts degree sits squarely in the middle—first-year earnings of $35,931 match both the state and national medians almost exactly. With an estimated debt load of $27,000 (based on other Indiana programs at similar private institutions), graduates would owe about 9 months of their starting salary. That's a manageable ratio on paper, though it's worth noting this estimate comes from peer schools rather than Valparaiso's actual graduate outcomes, which the Department of Education couldn't publish due to small sample sizes.

The real challenge here is the ceiling. Top Liberal Arts programs in Indiana—Notre Dame, Indiana Wesleyan, University of Indianapolis—produce graduates earning $43,500 to $45,500 in their first year, roughly $8,000-$10,000 more than Valparaiso's typical outcome. That gap matters when you're servicing similar debt levels. The program performs better against state competitors (60th percentile) than national ones (48th percentile), suggesting it holds up reasonably well within Indiana but offers no particular advantage if your student is considering schools outside the region.

For families drawn to Valparaiso's campus culture or financial aid package, this program won't saddle graduates with crushing debt. But if maximizing early career earnings matters—especially important for a broad degree that often requires graduate school or additional training—the more selective Indiana programs show materially better returns. The relatively high admission rate (92%) signals this isn't primarily about selectivity driving outcomes; it's about what the degree itself delivers in the job market.