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

Ranger College graduates start at $24,037—below both state and national medians—but within three years, their earnings surge 66% to reach $40,000, vaulting past the typical community college associate's degree holder in Texas. That trajectory matters more than the slow start, especially when paired with just $7,000 in debt, roughly one-third of what similar programs typically carry.

The math here favors action over anxiety. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.29 means graduates can realistically clear their loans in months, not years, even during that modest first-year salary. While Ranger ranks at the 40th percentile among Texas liberal arts programs initially, the earnings curve suggests graduates are landing jobs with real growth potential—perhaps transferring those credits to four-year programs or moving into supervisory roles that value the credential.

The real comparison isn't against Austin Community College's higher starting salaries; it's against the alternative of no degree and $7,000 less debt. For a student who needs an affordable stepping stone—whether toward a bachelor's degree or into Texas's job market with minimal financial burden—Ranger delivers exactly that. The low debt load provides flexibility that flashier programs charging three times as much simply can't match.