ROI Major

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Brigham Young University - Idaho

ID · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 24.01

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities degree from Brigham Young University - Idaho earn a median salary of $45,577 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in ID, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $45,081. The degree typically pays for itself in 14.9 years.

Quick Insights

Slow Burn / High Debt Risk

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$31,454

Typical Career

$45,577

Top Performers

$66,168

Estimated break-even: 14.9 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$304

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,798. Most students can comfortably afford about a $304 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.2x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Idaho buys what costs $1.01 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 18.8%
Educational Services 17.5%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 14.8%

Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$45,081

Nominal: $45,577 in Idaho (COL 101.1% of national avg) · 1.1% lower purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

14.9 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $22,656 $30,252 $42,626
5 Years After Graduation $31,454 $45,577 $66,168
10 Years After Graduation $35,058 $57,208 $86,981

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $45,577 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in ID, which has a cost-of-living index of 101.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $45,577 × (1.0 ÷ 1.0110) = $45,081 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates in Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities from Brigham Young University - Idaho can expect a steady earnings trajectory. Median earnings one year after graduation stand at $30,252, increasing to $45,577 after five years and reaching $57,208 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns closely with the national equivalent at approximately $45,081.11, indicating that graduates maintain a competitive financial standing relative to peers across the country.

The primary industries for these graduates include Health Care & Social Assistance (18.8%), Educational Services (17.5%), and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (14.8%). With an estimated break-even point of approximately 14.9 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing this degree may be considered moderate. While the earnings potential is promising over time, students should weigh their career interests against the financial implications of their educational choices.

AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.

Compare with Another School

See how the Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities degree at Brigham Young University - Idaho stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.

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