Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Clark State College
OH · Associate's Degree · CIP 24.01
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities degree from Clark State College earn a median salary of $42,558 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in OH, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $47,234. The degree typically pays for itself in 17.8 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$31,149
Typical Career
$42,558
Top Performers
$58,934
Estimated break-even: 17.8 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$284
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,547. Most students can comfortably afford about a $284 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.1x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.5x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Ohio buys what costs $0.90 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Manufacturing, Public Administration.
Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$47,234
Nominal: $42,558 in Ohio (COL 90.1% of national avg) · 11% higher purchasing power
10-Year Earnings Curve
Break-Even Timeline
How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).
Total Investment
$155,168
4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost
HS Graduate Baseline
$38,792/yr
BLS 2023 median, HS diploma
View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
| Timeframe | 25th Pct. | Median (50th) | 75th Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year After Graduation | $21,214 | $29,097 | $39,879 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $31,149 | $42,558 | $58,934 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $38,187 | $53,856 | $77,564 |
Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).
How We Calculate Purchasing Power
The median salary of $42,558 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in OH, which has a cost-of-living index of 90.1% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $42,558 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9010)
= $47,234 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The majority of graduates enter the Health Care & Social Assistance sector, with 65.5% finding employment in this field shortly after graduation. This trend continues with 46.7% and 37.0% of graduates remaining in the same industry over time. Considering the estimated break-even point of approximately 17.8 years compared to a high-school-only path, the overall return on investment for this degree may be viewed as moderate, particularly for those committed to careers in health and social services.
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Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.