Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Catawba Valley Community College

With first-year earnings of just under $24,000, Catawba Valley's Liberal Arts associate's degree starts well below both state and national benchmarks—about $3,000 less than what peers at other North Carolina community colleges typically earn. Among NC programs, this ranks at the 40th percentile, meaning most students at similar schools do better. The real concern isn't just the starting point: at $23,951, graduates earn barely above minimum wage despite two years of study. While earnings do jump 42% by year four to $34,111, that still leaves graduates in their mid-30s income range when many peers elsewhere started higher.

The silver lining is manageable debt. At $6,429, borrowing is considerably lighter than both the state median ($7,500) and national median ($10,950), ranking in the 95th percentile nationally for low debt. That translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.27—meaning the debt equals about three months of first-year income. With such modest borrowing, repayment shouldn't derail other financial goals.

The bottom line: this program offers an affordable pathway to a credential, but the earnings trajectory lags behind other North Carolina community colleges offering the same degree. If your student needs flexibility or low-cost college access, the debt burden won't be crushing. But if income potential matters, look closely at those top-performing NC programs where graduates start $10,000-16,000 higher—that gap represents real purchasing power in the early career years that's difficult to recover.