Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Schenectady County Community College
NY · Associate's Degree · CIP 24.01
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities degree from Schenectady County Community College earn a median salary of $40,495 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in NY, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $30,678. The degree typically pays for itself in 16.7 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
$29,511
Typical Career
$40,495
Top Performers
$56,084
Estimated break-even: 16.7 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$270
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,375. Most students can comfortably afford about a $270 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.0x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.5x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in New York buys what costs $1.32 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Public Administration, Accommodation & Food 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
$30,678
Nominal: $40,495 in New York (COL 132.0% of national avg) · 24.2% 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 | $21,713 | $28,130 | $38,729 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $29,511 | $40,495 | $56,084 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $39,752 | $56,754 | $75,525 |
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 $40,495 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in NY, which has a cost-of-living index of 132.0% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $40,495 × (1.0 ÷ 1.3200)
= $30,678 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The program's graduates predominantly enter the Health Care & Social Assistance sector, accounting for 33.9% of employment, followed by 17.6% in the same sector and 13.4% in Public Administration. The estimated break-even point for this educational path versus a high school diploma is approximately 16.7 years, indicating a long-term return on investment. While the initial earnings may not be high, the potential for growth in earnings and diverse career opportunities in stable industries suggests a reasonable ROI for those pursuing this degree.
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Other Degrees at Schenectady County 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.