Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Washington College

Based on comparable programs in Maryland, this bachelor's degree appears to track right at the state median—$36,337 in estimated first-year earnings against an estimated $27,000 in debt. That 0.74 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests graduates would dedicate roughly three-quarters of their first-year salary to debt, which is manageable but not exceptional. What matters here is the wide variation among Maryland's liberal arts programs: the top performer (Notre Dame of Maryland) reports earnings 34% higher, while others fall below this estimate.

The challenge with Washington College's program is that we're working entirely from peer data—neither earnings nor debt figures are reported for this specific school's graduates. Similar programs nationally show identical patterns ($36,340 median earnings, $27,000 median debt), suggesting these estimates are reasonable, but they tell us little about what distinguishes Washington College's outcomes from, say, Salisbury or Morgan State. The 21% Pell rate and 1274 average SAT suggest a relatively affluent student body at a selective liberal arts college, which could yield different results than the state median implies.

For families considering a $27,000 investment, the key question is whether Washington College's particular approach to liberal arts—its network, reputation, or curriculum—justifies choosing it over state schools where actual outcomes are documented. Without program-specific data, you're making that choice somewhat blind.