Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Tri-County Technical College

The $22,578 starting salary after Tri-County's liberal arts associate degree sits well below both South Carolina's median ($25,893) and the national average ($27,248) for this program. While ranking at the 40th percentile within South Carolina suggests middle-of-the-pack performance statewide, it's concerning that the state's top programs—including nearby Midlands Technical College at $29,688—deliver substantially higher initial earnings. The relatively low debt load of $8,750 offers some cushion, coming in about $3,000 below typical borrowing for this degree in South Carolina.

The silver lining here is genuine earnings growth: graduates see their income jump 42% by year four, reaching $32,108. This trajectory suggests the degree opens doors that take time to materialize, which isn't uncommon for general studies programs that feed into various career paths. However, with 40% of students receiving Pell grants, many families here can't afford to wait years for the degree to pay off.

For cost-conscious families, this program won't break the bank on debt, but the weak initial outcomes raise questions about job placement support and employer connections. If your child is set on staying local, compare carefully against Greenville Technical or other nearby programs where graduates start $5,000+ higher. The moderate sample size suggests stable data, so these numbers likely reflect typical outcomes rather than statistical noise.