Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Howard College

Howard College's general studies program delivers something unusual: top-tier earnings with reasonable debt. At $36,240 in first-year earnings, graduates significantly outpace both the Texas median ($27,274) and national median ($27,248)—landing in the 80th percentile statewide and 95th percentile nationally. That's nearly $9,000 more than typical graduates from similar programs earn right out of the gate.

The debt picture adds to the appeal. At $14,233, borrowers carry about 40% of their first-year earnings in loans—manageable by most standards, though slightly above typical for this degree type. What matters more is the earning power: graduates clear their debt burden faster than peers at most other schools because they're making substantially more from day one. Among Texas community colleges offering this program, only Central Texas College and Austin Community College produce higher-earning graduates.

The flat earnings trajectory between years one and four deserves mention—graduates aren't seeing income growth in those early years. But given they're starting from such a strong position, this isn't the red flag it would be elsewhere. For families seeking an affordable associate's degree that actually translates to solid wages in the Big Spring area economy, Howard College appears to have found a formula that works considerably better than most.