Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Cochise County Community College District

Cochise County Community College's Liberal Arts program starts graduates at a troubling $20,248—well below both the national and Arizona medians for this degree. That's 10th percentile performance statewide, meaning nine out of ten similar Arizona programs produce better initial outcomes. Compare this to Mesa Community College graduates earning $46,000 or even nearby Yavapai at $37,000, and the gap becomes stark for students who could access those alternatives.

The 58% earnings jump to $32,000 by year four offers some redemption, but graduates are still playing catch-up to where peer programs start. With debt around $10,000 (typical for associate degrees), the financial risk isn't catastrophic, but the opportunity cost matters—especially for the 39% of students here on Pell grants who need every dollar of that degree to count. Students entering the workforce $6,000 behind the state median face real consequences for housing, transportation, and financial stability during critical early career years.

If your student is geographically bound to Sierra Vista, this program provides an affordable credential with eventual earnings recovery. But families with options should seriously examine other Arizona community colleges where liberal arts graduates start $10,000-25,000 higher. The debt is manageable; the lost earnings in those first years after graduation are harder to recover.