How much debt do LSU liberal arts and general studies graduates have?

The median federal loan balance is $19,575, which ranks the lowest of 9 liberal arts and general studies bachelor's programs in Louisiana. That works out to about $208 a month over 10 years.

Is a liberal arts and general studies degree from LSU worth it?

It depends on your other options. Debt equals 79% of first-year earnings, against a national median of 73%. Compare the cost with other Louisiana programs before deciding.

LSU Liberal Arts and General Studies (Bachelor's): Tuition, Graduate Salary, and Debt

Q: Do LSU liberal arts and general studies graduates stay in Louisiana?

Most do. 85% (29 of 34) were working in Louisiana one year after graduating.

Bachelor's in Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
Public university
Baton Rouge, LA
About 7 graduates a year

College Scorecard June 2026 release · BLS wages May 2025

The short answer

LSU liberal arts and general studies graduates earn less than graduates of most liberal arts and general studies programs nationally, $24,879 in their first year. Where this program stands out is debt. The typical graduate leaves with $19,575 in federal loans, less than at 86% of liberal arts and general studies programs in the country. Debt is low, but pay is also below the Louisiana median of $32,688.

First-year earnings$24,8798th percentile of 395 programs nationally

Earnings after 5 years$47,28990% more than year one

Median federal debt$19,575The lowest of 9 Louisiana programs

Debt-to-earnings79%Louisiana median 80%, national 73%

How it compares

Each figure is the median for graduates of the program. The Louisiana and national columns are the medians across all liberal arts and general studies bachelor's programs that report the figure.

	LSU	Louisiana	National
Earnings, 1 year after graduating	$24,879	$32,688	$36,157
Earnings, 5 years after graduating	$47,289	$43,954	$48,575
Median federal debt at graduation	$19,575	$27,000	$27,000
Debt as share of first-year pay	79%	80%	73%
Programs compared		9	395

Five years out, LSU graduates earn about the national figure and about $3,335 more than the Louisiana median.

Debt and first-year pay at every Louisiana liberal arts and general studies program

Programs in the upper left give graduates higher pay for less debt. Dashed lines mark the Louisiana medians.

LSUOther Louisiana programs

Hover over or tap a dot to see the school. Only programs that report both earnings and debt are shown.

What graduates earn over time

Pay rises about 90% between the first and fifth year.

LSU grads, year 1$24,879

LSU grads, year 5$47,289

All Louisiana liberal arts and general studies grads, year 5$43,954

Year 1 and year 5 figures come from different graduating classes, so the growth rate is an estimate.

Paying back the loans

On a standard 10-year plan, the median debt means a payment of about $208 a month, or 10.0% of a graduate's typical monthly pay in the first year.

Where graduates work, and what the pay is worth

85% of graduates (29 of 34) were working in Louisiana one year after graduating. Prices in the Baton Rouge area are about 9% below the national average, so a $24,879 salary here buys what about $27,406 buys in a typical US city.

About LSU

In-state tuition and fees	$11,954 / year
Out-of-state tuition and fees	$28,631 / year
Average net price after aid	$19,151 / year
Admission rate	73%
Graduation rate (within 6 years)	69%
Undergraduate students	30,594

Liberal Arts and General Studies ranks 37th of 45 bachelor's programs at LSU by first-year earnings. The top three are Computer Engineering ($78,915), Electrical Engineering ($77,238), and Mechanical Engineering ($75,311).

Other liberal arts and general studies bachelor's programs near Baton Rouge

School	Distance	Year 1 pay	Debt
LSUBaton Rouge, LA · public		$24,879	$19,575
Southeastern Louisiana UniversityHammond, LA · public	43 mi	$33,705	$26,541
UL LafayetteLafayette, LA · public	52 mi	$31,419	$27,000

Common questions

The median graduate earns $24,879 one year after graduating and $47,289 five years after. The median across liberal arts and general studies bachelor's programs in Louisiana is $32,688.

About this data

Earnings and debt only include students who received federal financial aid (grants or loans).
Earnings only count graduates who were working and not enrolled in more school. Graduates who went straight to further study are not included.
Debt only includes federal loans. Private loans and credit cards are not counted.
Some schools with several campuses report one combined figure for all of them. We count each of those schools once, and leave them out of Louisiana comparisons when their main campus is in another state.
Scorecard figures describe graduating classes from several years ago. BLS wages are from May 2025.
School-level numbers like tuition, admission rate, and graduation rate are for the whole school, not the liberal arts and general studies program.

Sources

U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field of study and institution files, June 2026 release
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025 to 2035
Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024
NCES, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk, and IPEDS institution directory, 2024

Liberal Arts and General Studies bachelor's programs in Louisiana, ranked9 programs by pay and debt Liberal Arts and General Studies bachelor's programs in the US, ranked395 programs by pay and debt All LSU programs, ranked45 programs by pay and debt