Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Community College of Aurora

Community College of Aurora turns the usual liberal arts associate degree story on its head. While most similar programs nationwide leave graduates earning around $27,000, CCA students pull in $38,729 in their first year—enough to rank in the 95th percentile nationally and 80th percentile within Colorado. That's competitive with Arapahoe Community College, the state's highest earner in this program, and represents nearly $8,000 more than the typical Colorado graduate in the same field.

The debt picture makes this performance even more striking. At $12,250, borrowing sits just slightly above state and national medians, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.32—meaning graduates owe roughly one-third of their first-year salary. That's manageable territory, especially given the 13% earnings growth trajectory to $43,699 by year four. Whatever CCA is doing—whether it's stronger employer connections in the Denver metro area or more intentional career preparation—it's clearly working in a field where outcomes often disappoint.

For Colorado families considering community college routes, this program offers unusual value. You're getting top-tier earnings performance for this credential at typical community college costs, with a robust dataset confirming these aren't flukes. If your student wants the flexibility of a general liberal arts foundation while maintaining solid earning potential, CCA delivers both.