Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Miami University-Middletown

Miami University-Middletown manages something unusual for a liberal arts associate's degree: graduates earn $34,431 in their first year—$6,000 more than the national median and ranking in the 93rd percentile nationally. That's impressive earning power for a two-year humanities degree. However, the debt picture requires closer attention. At $17,500, graduates carry 60% more debt than the national median for this program, though it matches Ohio's state average. The 0.51 debt-to-earnings ratio means students owe roughly six months of salary, which is manageable but higher than you'd hope for an associate's degree.

The real question is trajectory. Earnings grow to $39,227 by year four—solid 14% growth—but this program still ranks only at the 60th percentile among Ohio's liberal arts programs. Several Ohio University branch campuses produce graduates earning closer to $37,000, and Marion Technical College's program yields startups above $51,000. This suggests Miami-Middletown graduates are getting decent outcomes, but not exceptional ones relative to the premium they're paying in debt.

For families, this translates to a reasonable investment if the Miami name and campus experience matter to your student. The debt is serviceable given first-year earnings, and graduates do see income growth. But if minimizing debt is the priority, Ohio has liberal arts programs that deliver comparable earnings with half the borrowing burden.