Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Northwest Shoals Community College

At $20,414 in first-year earnings, Northwest Shoals Community College's Liberal Arts associate degree ranks among the weakest performers both nationally and within Alabama. While the program keeps debt manageable at $10,000—roughly the state median—graduates earn about $4,000 less than their peers at other Alabama community colleges offering this degree. That's a significant gap when you're already starting at such a low income level. To put it in perspective, other in-state community colleges like Chattahoochee Valley and Jefferson State see their Liberal Arts graduates earning around $28,000, nearly 40% more.

The 5th percentile national ranking is particularly stark. This means 95% of similar programs across the country produce better earning outcomes. Even within Alabama's 29 Liberal Arts programs, this ranks in just the 25th percentile. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49 isn't catastrophic on its own, but it matters less when the absolute earnings are this low—barely above $20,000 makes it difficult to achieve financial independence regardless of debt load.

For families considering this program, the question isn't whether the debt is manageable—it's whether an associate degree that leads to such limited earnings serves your child's goals. If they're planning to transfer to a four-year institution, this might work as an affordable stepping stone. But as a terminal degree, the earning outcomes lag far behind comparable Alabama options.