ROI Major

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Laurel Ridge 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 Laurel Ridge Community College earn a median salary of $46,114 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in VA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $44,989. The degree typically pays for itself in 14.8 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

$32,749

Typical Career

$46,114

Top Performers

$62,326

Estimated break-even: 14.8 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$307

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,843. Most students can comfortably afford about a $307 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.2x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x 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, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services.

Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 26.0%
Educational Services 11.6%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 10.2%

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

$44,989

Nominal: $46,114 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).

14.8 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 $21,363 $29,416 $42,515
5 Years After Graduation $32,749 $46,114 $62,326
10 Years After Graduation $41,729 $57,357 $77,863

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 $46,114 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)
= $46,114 × (1.0 ÷ 1.0250) = $44,989 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates with a degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities from Laurel Ridge Community College can expect a progressive earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $26,942, which increases to $43,141 after five years and reaches $57,063 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns closely with the national average at approximately $42,088.78, indicating that graduates can maintain a competitive standard of living despite the cost of living index in Virginia being slightly higher than the national average.

The primary industries for graduates are predominantly within Health Care & Social Assistance, with 36.2% entering this sector immediately after graduation. This trend continues with 26.0% and 14.2% of graduates finding opportunities in the same field over time. Given the estimated break-even point of approximately 16 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing this degree can be considered moderate. Graduates should weigh their long-term career goals and industry demand against the time and financial commitment required for their education.

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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.