Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Washburn University

Washburn's associate program produces graduates earning nearly $40,000 right out of the gate—about $13,000 more than Kansas's median for this degree and significantly above even the top-ranked community college programs in the state. At 95th percentile nationally and statewide, these are exceptional outcomes for a general studies associate's degree, which typically leads to modest earnings around $27,000.

The debt picture looks equally strong: $19,750 is higher than the state median but translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.50, meaning graduates owe about half their first-year salary. This is manageable by any standard, especially given those earnings are competing with bachelor's degree holders in many other fields. The 5th percentile national debt ranking indicates relatively light borrowing compared to peer programs nationwide.

The major caveat here is sample size—fewer than 30 graduates means these numbers could shift dramatically year to year. One or two unusually successful graduates could skew the entire dataset. That said, the combination of strong earnings and moderate debt suggests Washburn may be connecting students with solid employment opportunities in the Topeka area, perhaps through state government or regional employers. If these outcomes hold for your student, this represents solid value for an associate's degree, but verify current placement rates and typical career paths given the limited data.