Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at South Texas College

South Texas College's Liberal Arts associate degree produces graduates earning just $20,366 in their first year—about $7,000 below both the national and Texas medians for this program. Among the 73 Texas schools offering this degree, it ranks in only the 25th percentile, meaning three-quarters of comparable programs in the state deliver better initial outcomes. Compare this to top performers like Central Texas College ($39,731) or Austin Community College ($38,436), and the gap is striking.

The silver lining is meaningful earnings growth: graduates see income jump 30% to $26,479 by year four, narrowing the gap with peers. The low debt load of $7,500 (well below the state median of $10,500) means the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.37 is manageable, even with the weak starting salary. For the many students here receiving Pell grants, graduating with minimal debt matters.

The fundamental question is whether starting nearly $7,000 behind peers is worth it, even with lower debt. Unless location or accessibility makes South Texas College the only viable option, parents should seriously consider the nearby community colleges delivering substantially stronger outcomes from day one.