Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at San Diego Miramar College

San Diego Miramar College's liberal arts certificate outperforms most similar programs nationally, placing in the 79th percentile for earnings, but there's an important caveat: these numbers come from fewer than 30 graduates, making them less reliable than larger datasets. Still, the $31,804 starting salary beats both the national and California medians by roughly $4,500, and the 37% earnings jump to $43,527 by year four suggests graduates are finding pathways to better opportunities—whether through further education or career advancement.

The debt picture looks solid at first glance. At $6,500, it's well below the $9,375 national median and even slightly below California's $7,456 median. That translates to a 0.20 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates owe just two months of their first year's salary—a manageable burden by any standard. However, when you compare this to the top-performing liberal arts programs at nearby San Diego Mesa and San Diego City College, which show similar or higher earnings, it's worth asking whether location within San Diego's community college system matters more than the specific campus.

For a certificate program intended as a stepping stone rather than a terminal credential, these numbers suggest reasonable value—low debt combined with above-average earnings. Just recognize that the small graduate count means your child's experience could differ significantly from these medians.