Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at East Central Community College

East Central Community College's Liberal Arts associate degree starts graduates at just $17,810—roughly $10,000 below the state median and ranking in the bottom 5% nationally. Even within Mississippi, where community college associate degree earnings tend to run lower than the national average, this program lags behind. Compare that to Holmes Community College's similar program, where graduates start at $25,496, or even the state median of $21,112. For parents paying out-of-pocket or watching their child take on debt, this initial earnings gap matters significantly.

The good news is the 64% earnings jump to $29,259 by year four, which eventually brings graduates above both state and national medians for the program. The debt load is also modest at $5,646—below Mississippi's median and manageable even at the low starting salary. For students who plan to transfer to a four-year institution after earning this associate degree, those first-year earnings may be less relevant than the transfer pathway and relatively low debt burden.

The central question is whether your student intends to enter the workforce immediately after graduation or continue their education. If they're stopping at the associate level and need to start earning right away, other Mississippi community colleges offer the same degree with notably higher starting salaries. If this is a stepping stone to a bachelor's degree, the low debt and eventual earnings growth make it workable, though not exceptional.