Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at St Charles Community College

St Charles Community College's Liberal Arts associate degree starts slow but accelerates impressively—first-year earnings of $26,000 jump 42% to nearly $37,000 by year four. That growth trajectory matters more than the middling initial salary, especially when you're carrying just $6,500 in debt. At a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.25, this is one of the most financially safe liberal arts programs you'll find anywhere. Nationally, only 5% of similar programs graduate students with less debt.

The tradeoff is clear: this program ranks middle-of-the-pack for Missouri liberal arts degrees (40th percentile), trailing schools like Three Rivers and East Central College that get graduates earning $28,000+ right away. But those programs also typically saddle students with more debt. With such minimal borrowing, graduates here have flexibility to pursue additional education or entry-level opportunities without financial stress—and the strong earnings growth suggests many are doing exactly that.

For families prioritizing debt avoidance while keeping bachelor's degree options open, this is a defensible choice. The low initial earnings are manageable with such small loan payments, and the substantial income gains by year four indicate graduates are finding their footing. Just understand you're accepting below-average starting pay in exchange for minimal financial risk.