Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Housatonic Community College
CT · Associate's Degree · CIP 24.01
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities degree from Housatonic Community College earn a median salary of $49,038 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in CT, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $42,531. The degree typically pays for itself in 11.5 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
$33,851
Typical Career
$49,038
Top Performers
$69,016
Estimated break-even: 11.5 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$327
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,087. Most students can comfortably afford about a $327 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.3x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Connecticut buys what costs $1.15 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Retail Trade, Educational Services.
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
$42,531
Nominal: $49,038 in Connecticut (COL 115.3% of national avg) · 13.3% 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).
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 | $24,710 | $35,933 | $52,018 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $33,851 | $49,038 | $69,016 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $44,997 | $64,735 | $85,664 |
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 $49,038 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in CT, which has a cost-of-living index of 115.3% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $49,038 × (1.0 ÷ 1.1530)
= $42,531 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 44.7% employed in this field, indicating a strong alignment with job opportunities in a growing industry. The estimated break-even point for pursuing this degree versus a high school diploma is approximately 11.5 years, suggesting that while there is a significant initial investment in education, the long-term return on investment may be favorable for those committed to their career development in these sectors.
Compare with Another School
See how the Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities degree at Housatonic Community College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
Explore More
Other Degrees at Housatonic Community College
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.