ROI Major

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at College of the Mainland

TX · Associate's Degree · CIP 24.01

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities degree from College of the Mainland earn a median salary of $51,719 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in TX, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $56,155. The degree typically pays for itself in 11.4 years.

Quick Insights

Slow Burn / High Debt Risk

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

$34,864

Typical Career

$51,719

Top Performers

$69,942

Estimated break-even: 11.4 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$345

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,310. Most students can comfortably afford about a $345 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.3x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Texas buys what costs $0.92 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Manufacturing, Educational Services.

Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 20.6%
Manufacturing 19.9%
Educational Services 18.4%

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

$56,155

Nominal: $51,719 in Texas (COL 92.1% of national avg) · 8.6% 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).

11.4 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

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 $22,787 $33,138 $50,926
5 Years After Graduation $34,864 $51,719 $69,942
10 Years After Graduation $46,316 $63,874 $87,519

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 $51,719 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in TX, which has a cost-of-living index of 92.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $51,719 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9210) = $56,155 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates from the Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities program at College of the Mainland experience a steady earnings trajectory. One year post-graduation, median earnings are reported at $33,138, which increases to $51,719 after five years and reaches $63,874 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of approximately $56,155.27, indicating that graduates can expect a competitive income relative to their peers across the country, despite the lower cost of living in Texas.

The primary industries that graduates enter are predominantly within Health Care & Social Assistance, which accounts for 72.4% of employment, followed by additional roles in the same sector at 20.6% and Manufacturing at 19.9%. Given the estimated break-even point of approximately 11.4 years compared to a high school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing this degree is favorable, particularly in sectors that are projected to grow. This suggests that graduates can achieve a solid career foundation while contributing to essential industries.

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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.