Is a liberal arts and general studies degree from University of Southern Indiana worth it?

On the numbers, yes for most students. Debt equals 51% of first-year earnings, against a national median of 73%. If the highest possible early salary is the main goal, several Indiana programs report higher pay, usually with more debt.

University of Southern Indiana Liberal Arts and General Studies (Bachelor's): Tuition, Graduate Salary, and Debt

Q: How much debt do University of Southern Indiana liberal arts and general studies graduates have?

The median federal loan balance is $17,707, which ranks the lowest of 17 liberal arts and general studies bachelor's programs in Indiana. That works out to about $188 a month over 10 years.

Q: Do University of Southern Indiana liberal arts and general studies graduates stay in Indiana?

Most do. 83% (20 of 24) were working in Indiana one year after graduating.

Bachelor's in Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
Public university
Evansville, IN
About 45 graduates a year

College Scorecard June 2026 release · BLS wages May 2025

The short answer

University of Southern Indiana liberal arts and general studies graduates earn about what liberal arts and general studies graduates earn nationally, $34,573 in their first year. Where this program stands out is debt. The typical graduate leaves with $17,707 in federal loans, less than at 90% of liberal arts and general studies programs in the country. Strong value, but not one of the highest-paying liberal arts and general studies degrees in Indiana.

First-year earnings$34,57339th percentile of 395 programs nationally

Earnings after 5 years$51,04848% more than year one

Median federal debt$17,707The lowest of 17 Indiana programs

Debt-to-earnings51%Indiana median 73%, national 73%

How it compares

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

	University of Southern Indiana	Indiana	National
Earnings, 1 year after graduating	$34,573	$35,853	$36,157
Earnings, 5 years after graduating	$51,048	$47,380	$48,575
Median federal debt at graduation	$17,707	$27,000	$27,000
Debt as share of first-year pay	51%	73%	73%
Programs compared		18	395

Five years out, University of Southern Indiana graduates earn more than the national figure and about $3,668 more than the Indiana median.

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

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

University of Southern IndianaOther Indiana 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 48% between the first and fifth year.

University of Southern Indiana grads, year 1$34,573

University of Southern Indiana grads, year 5$51,048

All Indiana liberal arts and general studies grads, year 5$47,380

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 $188 a month, or 6.5% of a graduate's typical monthly pay in the first year.

Where graduates work, and what the pay is worth

83% of graduates (20 of 24) were working in Indiana one year after graduating. Prices in the Evansville area are about 8% below the national average, so a $34,573 salary here buys what about $37,773 buys in a typical US city.

About University of Southern Indiana

In-state tuition and fees	$10,066 / year
Out-of-state tuition and fees	$22,907 / year
Average net price after aid	$12,923 / year
Admission rate	96%
Graduation rate (within 6 years)	48%
Undergraduate students	5,292

Liberal Arts and General Studies ranks 22nd of 26 bachelor's programs at University of Southern Indiana by first-year earnings. The top three are Engineering ($74,976), Diagnostic and Treatment Professions ($69,965), and Nursing ($68,945).

Common questions

The median graduate earns $34,573 one year after graduating and $51,048 five years after. The median across liberal arts and general studies bachelor's programs in Indiana is $35,853.

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 Indiana 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 Indiana, ranked18 programs by pay and debt Liberal Arts and General Studies bachelor's programs in the US, ranked395 programs by pay and debt All University of Southern Indiana programs, ranked27 programs by pay and debt