Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at BridgeValley Community & Technical College

The immediate concern here is that first-year figure: $23,902 barely clears full-time minimum wage, and while BridgeValley's modest $6,750 debt load is welcome news, graduates start in the bottom quarter nationally for this program. In West Virginia, it fares slightly better—ranking around the 40th percentile statewide—but that still means more than half of similar programs in the state produce stronger initial outcomes. When you consider that other WV community colleges are placing liberal arts graduates at $33,000-$44,000 within a year, the gap becomes harder to ignore.

The 55% earnings jump to nearly $37,000 by year four offers genuine upside, suggesting graduates find their footing after that rocky start. The low debt certainly matters for a primarily Pell-eligible student body (42% receive grants), keeping monthly payments manageable during those lean early years. However, the sample size here is small—under 30 graduates—so these numbers could shift considerably with more data.

For families weighing this path: treat this as a low-cost credential that may require patience and additional credentialing to reach stable earnings. If your student can live at home and minimize expenses during that first year or two, the debt burden won't compound the initial wage squeeze. But if they need immediate income, other WV programs demonstrate stronger launch points.