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

Howard Community College's general studies associate degree demonstrates one of the sharpest earnings trajectories you'll find in this field—graduates nearly double their income between years one and four, jumping from $22,042 to $41,470. That four-year mark is particularly striking: it matches the top-performing programs in Maryland and lands graduates well above both state and national medians for this degree. The challenge is weathering that first year, when earnings lag behind 75% of comparable programs nationally.

The $10,200 debt load is manageable and exactly matches Maryland's median for this program, though with first-year earnings at just $22,000, recent graduates will need to budget carefully. By year four, when earnings exceed $41,000, that debt burden becomes far less concerning—this is a patience game. Among Maryland's 18 programs, this ranks in the 25th percentile initially but climbs to compete with programs like Baltimore City Community College by year four.

For families who can provide financial support during those early years—or students planning to work their way up within an organization—this program delivers solid returns. The robust sample size of 100+ graduates confirms this isn't a statistical fluke. Just understand your child may need to live at home or maintain a side income initially while their career accelerates.