Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College

Pennsylvania Highlands' liberal arts associate degree produces graduates earning about $5,000 less than their counterparts at Pennsylvania's top community colleges—a gap that matters when starting salaries barely exceed $24,000. While the program sits near the 40th percentile among Pennsylvania's 48 similar programs, that still means earning roughly $1,150 less annually than the state median. The 24% earnings growth to $30,659 by year four is encouraging, but even that figure falls short of what graduates from Community College of Philadelphia or Harrisburg Area Community College earn right out of the gate.

The debt picture offers some relief: at $11,488, it's actually below Pennsylvania's median for this degree and translates to manageable payments relative to starting income. With less than half a year's salary owed, graduates aren't trapped by their loans—though they'll still need to budget carefully on an income that's well below Pennsylvania's living wage in most regions.

For families in the Johnstown area weighing community college options, this represents an affordable path to an associate degree, but the earning potential lags notably behind peer institutions. If your student is location-bound, it's viable; if they can commute to Harrisburg or Philadelphia-area community colleges, the data suggests they'll likely see better returns on similar debt.