Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College

Kennedy-King's associate program in general studies lands right in the middle of the pack—earning slightly above the national median but trailing the Illinois average by a few hundred dollars. At $27,643 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect a typical outcome for this degree, though notably behind the state's stronger performers like Prairie State ($34,909) or even sister institutions like Malcolm X College ($32,380). This 60th percentile ranking among Illinois programs signals neither standout performance nor serious concern.

The manageable debt load of $9,500 represents the program's clearest advantage. With a 0.34 debt-to-earnings ratio, graduates face roughly one-third of their first year's salary in loans—considerably more favorable than many liberal arts programs nationally. The tradeoff is straightforward: you're not getting premium earnings potential, but you're also avoiding the debt burden that can plague humanities degrees elsewhere.

For families considering this path, the math works if you view this associate degree as a stepping stone rather than a destination. The relatively low debt keeps options open for transferring to a four-year program or entering the workforce without crushing obligations. Just recognize that stopping here means accepting below-average Illinois earnings in a credential that already offers modest financial returns nationally.