ROI Major

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Marymount University

VA · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 24.01

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities degree from Marymount University earn a median salary of $61,778 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in VA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $60,271. The degree typically pays for itself in 8 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

$43,114

Typical Career

$61,778

Top Performers

$78,907

Estimated break-even: 8 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$412

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,148. Most students can comfortably afford about a $412 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.6x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.8x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Virginia buys what costs $1.03 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 32.6%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 19.5%
Educational Services 10.4%

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

$60,271

Nominal: $61,778 in Virginia (COL 102.5% of national avg) · 2.4% 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).

8 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 $31,807 $44,919 $65,106
5 Years After Graduation $43,114 $61,778 $78,907
10 Years After Graduation $55,307 $72,585 $97,133

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 $61,778 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in VA, which has a cost-of-living index of 102.5% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $61,778 × (1.0 ÷ 1.0250) = $60,271 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates with a degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities from Marymount University experience a positive earnings trajectory. One year after graduation, median earnings stand at $44,919, which increases to $61,778 five years later and reaches $72,585 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equates to approximately $60,271.22 nationally, indicating that while graduates may face a higher cost of living in Virginia (COL index: 1.025), their earnings still reflect a solid return over time.

The top industries for graduates include Health Care & Social Assistance (32.6%), Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (19.5%), and Educational Services (10.4%). The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately eight years, suggesting a favorable return on investment for those pursuing a degree. Overall, the data indicates that a degree in this field can lead to stable employment and a gradual increase in earnings, making it a viable option for students considering their future career paths.

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 Marymount University 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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