Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Kennebec Valley Community College

Kennebec Valley Community College's Liberal Arts associate's degree delivers something unusual: graduates earn nearly $5,200 more than the national median for this program, placing it in the 84th percentile nationally. With just $15,000 in typical debt—well below the national average—the initial return looks promising. However, the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these figures could shift considerably with more data.

The 8% earnings decline between year one and year four warrants attention. While starting wages near $32,500 beat most similar programs, dropping to under $30,000 by year four suggests graduates may face limited advancement opportunities or career instability. Within Maine, this program sits squarely in the middle of the pack at the 60th percentile, performing comparably to Central Maine Community College and UMaine Augusta.

For families considering this path, the low debt load keeps risk manageable—even with stagnant earnings, graduates aren't buried under payments. But understand that this degree serves primarily as either a stepping stone to a bachelor's program or as general workforce preparation rather than specific career training. If your student plans to transfer, the modest debt makes sense. If they're hoping to enter the workforce permanently with just the associate's, expect flat earnings in the high twenties to low thirties.