Program Analysis
University of Missouri-Columbia's Liberal Arts and Sciences graduates start at $39,317/yr — above the $37,172 national average, though not by a wide margin.
The earnings-to-cost ratio of 9.3x signals a solid financial return — projected decade earnings comfortably exceed the tuition investment.
AI disruption models show minimal impact on this program's career paths. The gap between optimistic and pessimistic ten-year scenarios is just 5% — this field's hands-on core resists automation.
Median debt of $20,500 represents roughly 6 months of the $39,317 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.
At #143 of 424 Liberal Arts and Sciences programs, University of Missouri-Columbia scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.
Earnings grow from $39,317 to $53,300 over five years — a 36% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.