Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Massachusetts Bay Community College

Massachusetts Bay Community College's liberal arts program punches well above its weight class, with first-year earnings of $37,790 that place it in the 95th percentile nationally—nearly $10,000 above what most liberal arts associate degree holders earn. For context, graduates here earn almost as much as those from Harvard's program and actually outpace nearly all other Massachusetts community colleges in this field, landing in the 60th percentile statewide. That's impressive for a program that costs just $8,750 in median debt.

The 8% earnings growth to $40,888 by year four is modest but steady, and the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.23 means graduates can realistically pay off loans within months rather than years. This appears to be a program that prepares students well for the Greater Boston job market, where even general liberal arts credentials can open doors to administrative, healthcare support, or public sector roles with decent starting pay.

The main limitation is that we're looking at a moderate sample size, so individual outcomes will vary. But for families worried about community college liberal arts programs leading nowhere, this data tells a different story—Mass Bay graduates are earning competitive wages right out of the gate, making this a surprisingly solid investment for students who want broad foundational skills without the four-year price tag.