Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Kent State University at Ashtabula

This Kent State Ashtabula liberal arts program delivers exceptionally strong earnings outcomes that rank in the 95th percentile nationally—graduates earn nearly $35,000 in their first year, significantly outpacing the national median of $27,248 for similar programs. However, the premium comes with higher debt of $20,500 compared to the national median of $10,950, though the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.59 remains very reasonable.

Within Ohio, the picture is more mixed. While the program ranks in the 60th percentile among state peers with solid earnings above the Ohio median of $33,847, it's notably outperformed by several community colleges like Marion Technical College ($51,927) and some Ohio University regional campuses. The debt load is also above Ohio's typical $17,500 for these programs.

The 11% earnings growth over four years suggests decent career progression, and the robust sample size makes these numbers reliable. For an associate's degree in liberal arts, this program offers strong national performance with manageable debt, making it a solid investment despite not being the top choice within Ohio. The key consideration is whether the premium price delivers enough value over lower-cost Ohio alternatives.