Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Cumberland University

At $22,849 in first-year earnings, Cumberland's liberal arts associate's program falls significantly short of what Tennessee students typically earn from this degree. The state median sits at $26,438—nearly $3,600 more—and nearby community colleges like Nashville State and Southwest Tennessee produce graduates earning $6,000-7,000 more annually. Even among Tennessee's 33 programs, Cumberland lands at just the 40th percentile, meaning six in ten programs deliver better outcomes.

The debt load of $10,050 is manageable in absolute terms, yielding a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.44 that shouldn't create undue hardship. However, that's about where the good news ends. Nationally, this program ranks in the 20th percentile for earnings—meaning 80% of similar programs produce better results. The small sample size (under 30 graduates) adds uncertainty, but the gap is large enough to be concerning even accounting for statistical noise.

For families considering this program, the question is simple: why pay private school prices—even at this relatively modest debt level—for outcomes that lag behind Tennessee's community colleges? Unless Cumberland offers specific institutional advantages that matter deeply to your student, the state's public two-year options appear to deliver significantly better value for this particular degree path.