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

Hagerstown Community College's general studies associate degree produces below-average outcomes in a state where better options are readily available. Graduates here earn around $25,000 initially and $31,000 four years out—putting them in just the 40th percentile among Maryland's 18 programs in this field. Meanwhile, Baltimore City Community College and UMD Global Campus deliver starting earnings above $41,000, nearly double what Hagerstown grads make initially.

The manageable $11,548 debt load is the program's saving grace, keeping the debt-to-earnings ratio reasonable at 0.46. While earnings do grow 22% over four years, that trajectory still leaves graduates trailing both the Maryland median ($26,448) and national average ($27,248). For a state with strong community college alternatives like Prince George's and College of Southern Maryland—both producing higher earnings for similar programs—this represents a second-tier choice.

If your child is set on Hagerstown CC for location or family reasons, the low debt means this won't be financially devastating. But if commuting to Baltimore or another Maryland community college is feasible, those programs offer substantially better earning potential. In Maryland's competitive landscape for associate degrees, this program simply doesn't keep pace with what peer institutions deliver.