Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Elgin Community College

The striking feature here is the 68% earnings jump between year one and year four—from $25,377 to $42,733. That trajectory suggests Elgin's liberal arts program serves as an effective stepping stone, whether graduates transfer to four-year schools or enter careers with growth potential. By year four, these graduates outperform the typical Illinois liberal arts associate earner by $15,000 annually.

The initial year looks underwhelming, landing below both state and national medians. Among Illinois's 55 programs, this ranks only at the 40th percentile. But that first-year figure can be misleading for transfer-focused associate degrees, where many students may still be completing their bachelor's while working part-time jobs. The relatively low debt load of $8,380—about $2,600 below the state median—keeps the financial risk manageable during this transition period.

What matters most is where graduates land, not where they start. If your child plans to transfer and complete a bachelor's degree, this program provides affordable general education coursework without the debt burden of starting at a four-year institution. The real test will be their trajectory after transferring. However, if they're treating this as a terminal degree and entering the workforce immediately, those initial earnings are legitimately concerning compared to higher-earning community colleges in Illinois.