Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Surry Community College

With just $5,500 in debt and strong earnings growth, Surry Community College's general studies program offers one of the lowest debt burdens you'll find—ranking in the 95th percentile nationally. That's roughly half what most North Carolina community colleges charge for this degree and a fraction of the national median. The downside? First-year earnings of $24,635 trail both the state median ($26,838) and national average by about $2,500-3,000, placing graduates in the 40th percentile among NC programs.

The numbers improve considerably over time, with median earnings jumping 34% to nearly $33,000 by year four. While that's solid growth, it still leaves graduates earning less than peers at top NC community colleges like Randolph ($40,145) or Beaufort County ($38,009). However, the small sample size here matters—with fewer than 30 graduates tracked, a few outliers could skew the picture either direction.

For families prioritizing minimal debt over maximum earnings potential, this represents a manageable financial entry point to higher education. Just understand that you're trading lower initial earning power for the security of graduating with debt you could realistically pay off within a year or two of full-time work.