Human Resources Management and Services at Clark State College

At $16,261 in estimated debt, this program appears notably more affordable than its peers—less than half the national median debt of $26,536 for similar HR associate's programs and well below Ohio's state median of $35,666. If these estimates from comparable programs hold true, Clark State students would be finishing their degree with manageable debt relative to projected first-year earnings around $40,000.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.41 suggests these numbers could work in practice. Students borrowing at this level would face monthly payments of roughly $180 on a standard 10-year plan—less than 6% of gross monthly income based on estimated earnings. That's typically sustainable, though HR positions at this level often require working your way up from entry roles in benefits administration or recruiting coordination, where starting salaries may initially run lower than $40,000.

What's harder to evaluate here is whether Clark State's specific program connects graduates to Ohio's HR job market as effectively as the estimates suggest. The lack of reported outcomes data means you can't verify if this school's graduates actually achieve these earnings or debt levels. Before committing, talk to the program about job placement rates and ask where recent graduates are working. If the school has solid employer connections in the Dayton-Springfield area, the affordable price point makes this worth considering despite the data gaps.