Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Jones County Junior College

Jones County Junior College's liberal arts associate degree tells a peculiarly Mississippi story: it's performing better than 60% of similar programs statewide while simultaneously ranking in just the 22nd percentile nationally. Graduates here earn slightly more than Mississippi's state median for these programs ($23,319 versus $21,112), but that still leaves them nearly $4,000 behind the national median of $27,248. The $7,000 in debt is reasonable—well below both state and national averages—which keeps the burden manageable even with modest earnings.

The real concern is the flat earnings trajectory: wages barely budge between year one and year four, suggesting graduates may be hitting a ceiling quickly. While this program costs less to complete than many alternatives, it trails Mississippi's top performers by $2,000-3,000 annually. For context, Holmes Community College graduates with the same degree earn $25,496, which adds up to meaningful differences over time.

The economics work if your student plans to transfer to a four-year institution and just needs affordable general education credits. As a terminal degree, though, these earnings would strain any household budget, even in Mississippi's lower cost-of-living environment. The small sample size adds uncertainty, but the pattern is clear enough: this is an inexpensive foundation, not a path to financial stability on its own.