Human Development, Family Studies, at Abilene Christian University

Abilene Christian's Human Development and Family Studies program shows earnings that trail both state and national medians initially, though the trajectory improves substantially. First-year graduates earn $30,278—about $2,000 below the Texas median and $3,200 below the national average. However, by year four, earnings jump to $43,979, a 45% increase that pushes past both benchmarks. While this ranks only in the 40th percentile among Texas programs, it's worth noting that top-performing schools like Texas Tech ($39,096) and UH ($37,964) don't show the same earnings acceleration over time.

The debt load of $26,000 sits slightly above the state median of $22,450, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.86—manageable, but requiring careful budgeting during those lower-earning early years. The program ranks in the 38th percentile nationally for debt, meaning many comparable programs saddle students with more borrowing.

The critical caveat: this data represents fewer than 30 graduates, so these numbers could shift significantly with a larger sample. If your child is considering this program, the early-career earnings gap is real, but the strong growth curve suggests the degree opens doors that take time to walk through. The question is whether your family can weather the first few years of lower income while carrying $26,000 in debt.