Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Lackawanna College

The numbers here tell a troubling story, though the small sample size means we need to be cautious about drawing firm conclusions. Lackawanna's liberal arts graduates earn just $13,920 one year after completing their associate degree—roughly half what graduates from this same program make at other Pennsylvania colleges like Community College of Philadelphia ($32,697) or Harrisburg Area Community College ($30,455). While earnings do nearly double by year four to $23,539, that still leaves graduates in the bottom 10th percentile statewide and earning about $2,300 less than the Pennsylvania median.

The debt picture compounds the challenge. At $16,000, graduates carry more than they'll earn in their first year post-graduation and substantially more than the state median of $12,500 for this program. Given that 58% of students receive Pell grants, many here are already financially vulnerable and can least afford to start their careers at such low wages. The small cohort size does mean these figures could shift dramatically year to year, so they shouldn't be treated as definitive—but they're concerning enough to warrant serious investigation before enrolling. Parents should ask the college directly about job placement outcomes and whether most graduates are transferring to four-year programs (which might explain the initially low earnings) or entering the workforce immediately.