Human Resources Management and Services at Bryant & Stratton College-Albany

Bryant & Stratton's Albany campus produces HR graduates who hit middle-of-the-pack earnings for New York—at the state median of $39,428—but that figure actually lands at just the 25th percentile nationally. More troubling is what happens next: earnings drop 6% by year four to $36,901, which means graduates are making less four years into their careers than when they started. With nearly $28,000 in debt (slightly above the national median for this program), you're looking at a debt-to-earnings ratio that requires about nine months of gross income to clear—manageable on paper, but concerning when paired with backward earnings momentum.

The 60th percentile state ranking provides some comfort if your child plans to stay in New York, where this program performs better relative to local competition than it does nationally. The 65% Pell Grant rate indicates Bryant & Stratton serves students who often need these credentials to access career opportunities, and for that population, a sub-$30,000 debt load is more defensible than at many for-profit institutions. However, the earnings trajectory suggests either HR roles plateau quickly with an associate's degree, or graduates struggle to advance without additional credentials.

If your child is set on HR and needs to start working quickly, this could work—but only with clear plans for how they'll reverse that earnings slide, likely through targeted certifications or bachelor's degree completion. Otherwise, you're paying for a career start that loses altitude instead of gaining it.