Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Wisconsin Lutheran College

With an estimated $27,000 in debt and first-year earnings around $43,700, this program's financial profile sits squarely in the middle of Wisconsin's liberal arts landscape. Based on comparable programs across the state, graduates typically earn about 20% more than the national median for this degree—a meaningful premium that reflects Wisconsin's relatively strong outcomes for general studies majors.

The debt load matches the national median exactly and produces a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.62. While peer programs in Wisconsin suggest these graduates earn competitively—roughly on par with UW-Eau Claire and just below UW-Oshkosh—they're starting about $10,000 behind the state's top performers at UW-Green Bay. For a broad liberal arts degree, where career paths vary widely, that gap matters less if your child has clear post-graduation plans that leverage the degree effectively.

The real question is whether a general studies degree serves your child's specific goals. Similar programs in Wisconsin produce stable, middle-income outcomes, but without the specialization that drives higher earnings in fields like nursing or engineering. If your child needs flexibility to explore or plans graduate school, this works. If they're seeking immediate career momentum, they'll need to be intentional about internships and skill-building beyond the classroom.