Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at West Virginia University - Potomac State College
WV · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 24.01
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities degree from West Virginia University - Potomac State College earn a median salary of $43,616 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in WV, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $48,897. The degree typically pays for itself in 16.2 years.
Quick Insights
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
$33,152
Typical Career
$43,616
Top Performers
$55,314
Estimated break-even: 16.2 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$291
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,635. Most students can comfortably afford about a $291 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.1x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in West Virginia buys what costs $0.89 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Retail Trade, Educational Services.
Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work
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
$48,897
Nominal: $43,616 in West Virginia (COL 89.2% of national avg) · 12.1% higher 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).
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 | $26,390 | $32,661 | $40,527 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $33,152 | $43,616 | $55,314 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $40,342 | $54,993 | $69,154 |
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 $43,616 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in WV, which has a cost-of-living index of 89.2% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $43,616 × (1.0 ÷ 0.8920)
= $48,897 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
Graduates predominantly enter industries such as Health Care & Social Assistance (18.2%), Retail Trade (13.3%), and Educational Services (12.7%). The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 16.2 years, suggesting that while the return on investment may take time to materialize, the diverse career opportunities available can lead to stable employment in essential sectors. Overall, students should weigh the long-term benefits against the initial financial commitment of their education.
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 West Virginia University - Potomac State College 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.