Liberal Arts and Sciences at McHenry County College

Crystal Lake, IL · Public · Associate Degree · Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

with a smaller student body of 4,335 in Crystal Lake, IL.

Program Analysis

At $19,740 per year, Liberal Arts and Sciences graduates from McHenry County College earn below the $27,616 national average. Lower costs or geographic factors may offset the earnings gap.

With a 43.2x return on tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.

Career paths for Liberal Arts and Sciences carry above-average AI exposure (0% of tasks). The 40% scenario spread means the difference between optimistic and pessimistic outcomes is substantial.

The median debt load of $5,881 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios in vocational education.

A #690 ranking among 830 Liberal Arts and Sciences programs places McHenry County College in the lower half. Price, proximity, and personal fit become the stronger arguments.

The $19,740-to-$44,574 earnings arc over five years reflects a 126% gain — well above average career growth for trade school graduates.

38 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
35
Low End
38
Score
38
High End
Earnings $19,740/yr (-29% vs median)
AI-Proof AI-Proof (100% shielded)
Job Market Medium (13,500 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$346K
12.0% annual growth
Earnings Multiple (In-State)
43.2x
10-year earnings ÷ tuition
Viable Career Paths
1 of 1
Occupations with strong AI resilience

Projected 10-Year Earnings

Based on actual graduate salary data and Bureau of Labor Statistics growth projections.

Program Tuition (In-State)
$8,024
Out-of-state: $29,770
Median Debt at Graduation
$5,881
3.6 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$44,574
126% growth from Year 1

Top Career Paths

Top career paths for Liberal Arts and Sciences graduates by median salary.

Career Path Median Salary Growth AI-ProofAI
Postsecondary teachers, all other $78,490 +1.8% 100%
Postsecondary teachers, all other
$78,490
+1.8% growth 100% AI-proof

About Liberal Arts and Sciences Careers

Your studies in humanities and sciences can lead to a career shaping minds in higher education. As a community college instructor, your days are focused on the classroom. You’ll craft engaging lectures, lead discussions on foundational texts, and spend afternoons in office hours, helping students one-on-one with their essays and research projects. At a four-year university, your role often expands to include original research, meaning you might spend your mornings teaching a seminar and your afternoons in the library archives, contributing new knowledge to your field by writing articles and books.

Read the full Liberal Arts and Sciences career guide →

Compare & Explore

Liberal Arts and Sciences Overview

Liberal Arts and Sciences at Other Schools

Other Majors at McHenry County College

How Does a Bachelor's Degree Compare?

Four-year programs take longer but may unlock different career trajectories. See the data.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does McHenry County College's Liberal Arts and Sciences program score?
This program scores 38/100 — on the lower end for Liberal Arts and Sciences. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.
How AI-proof is a career in Liberal Arts and Sciences?
Highly resilient. Liberal Arts and Sciences careers are fundamentally hands-on — they require physical presence and manual skill that AI cannot replicate. Graduates retain 1 of 1 viable career paths even under conservative assumptions.
How affordable is Liberal Arts and Sciences at McHenry County College?
Median debt of just $5,881 against $19,740/yr in starting salary means graduates can clear their loans in under 4 months. This is one of the more affordable paths in our dataset.
Can you still earn well with Liberal Arts and Sciences from McHenry County College?
Starting salary is one data point. If McHenry County College's tuition is significantly below average, the ROI calculation can still work — lower earnings paired with lower costs can be a reasonable trade.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →