Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Jackson State Community College

The standout feature here isn't the earnings—it's the remarkably low debt. At $5,500, Jackson State graduates carry half the debt of typical Tennessee students in this program and less than half the national median. That 0.20 debt-to-earnings ratio is exceptional and means graduates can realistically pay off their loans within months rather than years, even with the modest starting salary of $27,378.

While the earnings land solidly in the middle of the pack nationally, Jackson State actually outperforms 60% of Tennessee programs in this field—a meaningful advantage for students staying local. The program trails top performers like Austin Peay by about $3,300 initially, but the lower debt more than compensates for that gap. A graduate here who allocates even 10% of their income to loans could be debt-free before their peers at pricier programs finish their second year of payments.

The 15% earnings growth to $31,336 after four years shows reasonable progression, and with 41% of students receiving Pell grants, this program appears to serve exactly the population that benefits most from low-debt credentials. For families concerned about minimizing financial risk while their student explores career options or prepares for further education, this is precisely the kind of affordable foundation that makes sense.