Here is a site where you can do the math yourself, and see what level of salary is recommended to accommodate that debt payment. This calculator does not take geographical differences in cost of living into account. https://mappingyourfuture.org/paying/standardcalculator.cfm
To use your numbers from above, $55K in loans at 5.5% is a $597 monthly payment for 10 years, and a recommended salary of $89K/yr. $27K is $286/mo, salary $44K. (Student loan rates are decreasing for this fall to 4.53%, but you won’t be able to get that rate for the entire principal, so I used a blended estimate).
You can see that is a dramatic difference in monthly expense burden, as well as recommended salary to make that payment. $600 month payment will have a significant impact on one’s lifestyle–it will reduce the amount of money you can pay for an apartment, utilities, health insurance, car, food, etc. There will be little, if any, leftover for personal spending, especially considering most recent humanities grads do not make anything close to $89K/year.
Add to this, with your degree you are likely to live in a relatively expensive urban area–average rent in DC is $2,400/month. Estimated take home pay on a $50K salary is $3,200. https://smartasset.com/taxes/paycheck-calculator#mStg7VIs8b
Make a spreadsheet with income and expenses and see the difference $55K in loans makes vs. $27K. Time to start adulting.