Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Wayne State University

Wayne State's liberal arts program starts with a jarring first-year salary of just $25,046—landing in the bottom 10% both nationally and statewide. That's roughly $13,000 below Michigan's median for this degree. However, the 162% earnings jump to $65,563 by year four tells a different story, suggesting graduates eventually find their footing in Detroit's job market, likely through credential-building or career transitions that take time to materialize.

The modest $18,028 debt load provides crucial breathing room during those difficult early years. While first-year earnings barely exceed $2,000 per month, the debt burden is manageable compared to the state median of $30,254. This is particularly important for a program serving a student body where 43% receive Pell grants—students who can't afford to accumulate crushing debt while waiting for better opportunities.

The central question is whether your child can weather those lean early years. If they can live at home or have other financial support through their mid-twenties, the eventual earnings rebound makes this viable. But if they need to be financially independent immediately after graduation, understand they'll be starting well behind peers at even mid-tier Michigan programs like Saginaw Valley State. This degree works as an affordable foundation for further credentialing, not as a direct path to early financial stability.