Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Gordon State College

Gordon State's Liberal Arts associate degree starts rough but shows surprising momentum. While graduates earn just $22,725 in their first year—well below both the national median ($27,248) and Georgia's state median ($24,817)—earnings jump 55% by year four to reach $35,194. That's a meaningful income trajectory that outpaces typical liberal arts associate programs, though it still lags behind what students earn at Georgia State ($29,070) or Georgia Highlands ($28,403) right out of the gate.

The debt picture offers some relief: at $17,375, borrowing runs higher than the state median but remains manageable given the eventual earnings growth. The debt-to-first-year-earnings ratio of 0.76 means graduates face less than one year's salary in debt, which is reasonable for an associate degree. Nearly half of students here receive Pell grants, suggesting the program serves students who need affordable pathways to better employment—and for those willing to work through the slower initial earnings phase, it eventually delivers.

The key question is whether your student can weather those first couple years of below-average pay. If they need immediate earning power, stronger Georgia programs exist. But if they can afford patience and need to keep debt relatively contained while building toward middle-income work, Gordon State's trajectory makes it a viable option—just not a standout one in a state with nearly 40 competing programs.