Graduates of College of the Atlantic earn median 4-year earnings of $32,352, placing the institution in the 0.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks College of the Atlantic #1282 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings profile reflects a liberal arts institution where outcomes depend substantially on individual major choice and post-graduation career trajectory rather than a concentrated set of high-earning fields. College of the Atlantic's program portfolio spans humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and interdisciplinary studies. General Studies represents the largest aggregate return by combining meaningful enrollment with solid earnings outcomes. Graduates pursue diverse career paths — some entering graduate school, others moving into nonprofit and public service roles, and others into private-sector positions — which creates wider variation in early-career earnings than institutions with dominant STEM or business concentrations. The liberal arts model emphasizes breadth and critical thinking over narrow vocational training, a signature that shapes both the earnings distribution and the longer-term career mobility of College of the Atlantic alumni.
Graduates of College of the Atlantic earn median 4-year earnings of $32,352, placing the institution in the 0.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks College of the Atlantic #1282 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings profile reflects a liberal arts institution where outcomes depend substantially on individual major choice and post-graduation career trajectory rather than a concentrated set of high-earning fields. College of the Atlantic's program portfolio spans humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and interdisciplinary studies. General Studies represents the largest aggregate return by combining meaningful enrollment with solid earnings outcomes. Graduates pursue diverse career paths — some entering graduate school, others moving into nonprofit and public service roles, and others into private-sector positions — which creates wider variation in early-career earnings than institutions with dominant STEM or business concentrations. The liberal arts model emphasizes breadth and critical thinking over narrow vocational training, a signature that shapes both the earnings distribution and the longer-term career mobility of College of the Atlantic alumni.
Latest FE earnings field: 10-year
Lower quartile, 10-year field
Upper quartile, 10-year field
Graduates of College of the Atlantic earn median 4-year earnings of $32,352, placing the institution in the 0.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks College of the Atlantic #1282 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings profile reflects a liberal arts institution where outcomes depend substantially on individual major choice and post-graduation career trajectory rather than a concentrated set of high-earning fields. College of the Atlantic's program portfolio spans humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and interdisciplinary studies. General Studies represents the largest aggregate return by combining meaningful enrollment with solid earnings outcomes. Graduates pursue diverse career paths — some entering graduate school, others moving into nonprofit and public service roles, and others into private-sector positions — which creates wider variation in early-career earnings than institutions with dominant STEM or business concentrations. The liberal arts model emphasizes breadth and critical thinking over narrow vocational training, a signature that shapes both the earnings distribution and the longer-term career mobility of College of the Atlantic alumni.
Financial justification for the investment.
Graduates of College of the Atlantic earn median 4-year earnings of $32,352, placing the institution in the 0.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks College of the Atlantic #1282 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings profile reflects a liberal arts institution where outcomes depend substantially on individual major choice and post-graduation career trajectory rather than a concentrated set of high-earning fields. College of the Atlantic's program portfolio spans humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and interdisciplinary studies. General Studies represents the largest aggregate return by combining meaningful enrollment with solid earnings outcomes. Graduates pursue diverse career paths — some entering graduate school, others moving into nonprofit and public service roles, and others into private-sector positions — which creates wider variation in early-career earnings than institutions with dominant STEM or business concentrations. The liberal arts model emphasizes breadth and critical thinking over narrow vocational training, a signature that shapes both the earnings distribution and the longer-term career mobility of College of the Atlantic alumni.
Program mix and student pathways explain much of the earnings story.
College of the Atlantic offers a distinctive program portfolio centered on Liberal Arts education, where students design individualized curricula rather than following traditional major tracks. This structure means that program-level earnings data reflects outcomes across a diverse set of student-directed combinations rather than discrete, conventionally named majors. General Studies represents the largest area of student focus, with 89 graduates, and the institution serves roughly 89 students annually across 1 distinct program pathways. The earnings landscape at College of the Atlantic reflects the outcomes of its liberal arts model. Graduates pursue careers across education, environmental science, social services, creative fields, and nonprofit work — sectors where four-year earnings tend to be moderate but where career satisfaction and mission alignment often matter as much as salary. This pattern is typical for institutions organized around self-designed curricula and interdisciplinary study rather than pre-packaged professional tracks. The institution's strength lies in consistent outcomes across a broad range of student interests rather than in concentrated high-earning programs; this reflects both the student population's career priorities and the structure of the liberal arts educational model. For students considering College of the Atlantic, the value proposition centers on educational autonomy, close faculty mentorship, and preparation for careers in fields where purpose and impact are primary drivers. The supply and demand for college graduates provides context for how liberal arts graduates align with labor-market demand across sectors like education, environmental work, and nonprofit leadership.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
