Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Tompkins Cortland Community College
NY · Associate's Degree · CIP 24.01
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities degree from Tompkins Cortland Community College earn a median salary of $40,318 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in NY, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $30,544. The degree typically pays for itself in 18.8 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
$29,376
Typical Career
$40,318
Top Performers
$55,076
Estimated break-even: 18.8 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$269
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,360. Most students can comfortably afford about a $269 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, Educational Services, Retail Trade.
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
$30,544
Nominal: $40,318 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 | $20,379 | $27,561 | $37,997 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $29,376 | $40,318 | $55,076 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $38,241 | $53,712 | $70,687 |
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 $40,318 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)
= $40,318 × (1.0 ÷ 1.3200)
= $30,544 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The top industries for graduates are primarily in Health Care & Social Assistance, which accounts for 26.0% of employment, followed by Educational Services at 11.7%. The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 18.8 years. This indicates a long-term return on investment for pursuing a degree in this field, although prospective students should weigh the time and financial commitment against the potential earnings and job opportunities available in their chosen 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.