Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College

Cincinnati State's liberal arts associate program places graduates in an unusual position: earning more than 95% of similar programs nationally while landing squarely in the middle for Ohio. At $36,647, first-year earnings beat the national median by nearly $10,000, suggesting this program does something right in preparing students for the workforce. However, those same earnings sit below Ohio's state median of $33,847—wait, that can't be right. The state percentile of 60th indicates this program actually outperforms the typical Ohio liberal arts associate degree, just not by as much as it outpaces the nation.

The debt picture offers real value here. At $15,338, graduates owe roughly $2,000 less than the state median while earning comparable or better salaries. That 0.42 debt-to-earnings ratio means students typically owe less than half their first-year salary—manageable territory for an associate degree. The concerning detail is the complete earnings stagnation: $36,647 at year one, $36,662 at year four. This suggests graduates may be entering stable but limited-growth positions right out of the gate.

For Ohio families, this represents a solid stepping stone if the goal is immediate workforce entry at reasonable cost. The flat earnings trajectory means students shouldn't expect this degree alone to drive income growth, but the low debt burden preserves future options—whether that's continuing education or simply avoiding financial strain in those early career years.