ROI Major

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Eastern Shore Community College

VA · 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 Eastern Shore Community College earn a median salary of $40,793 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in VA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $39,798. The degree typically pays for itself in 21.8 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

$27,127

Typical Career

$40,793

Top Performers

$54,000

Estimated break-even: 21.8 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$272

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,399. Most students can comfortably afford about a $272 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 Virginia buys what costs $1.03 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 19.4%
Educational Services 13.0%
Retail Trade 10.1%

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

$39,798

Nominal: $40,793 in Virginia (COL 102.5% of national avg) · 2.4% lower 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).

21.8 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 $21,247 $30,846 $41,535
5 Years After Graduation $27,127 $40,793 $54,000
10 Years After Graduation $37,821 $49,987 $62,962

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 $40,793 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in VA, which has a cost-of-living index of 102.5% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $40,793 × (1.0 ÷ 1.0250) = $39,798 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 Eastern Shore Community College experience a steady earnings trajectory. One year post-graduation, median earnings are reported at $30,846, increasing to $40,793 after five years, and reaching $49,987 after a decade. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns closely with the national equivalent at approximately $39,798.05, indicating that while initial earnings may be modest, they grow significantly over time, reflecting a positive long-term financial outlook.

The primary industries that graduates enter are predominantly in Health Care & Social Assistance, with 39.2% of graduates entering this field immediately after graduation, followed by 38.5% and 19.4% in subsequent years. This concentration suggests a strong alignment between the program's skills and the demands of the health care sector. However, the estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 21.8 years, indicating that while the investment in education may take time to yield significant returns, the potential for career advancement and increased earnings in these industries remains substantial.

Compare with Another School

See how the Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities degree at Eastern Shore Community College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

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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.