Human Resources Management and Services at Faulkner University

Faulkner's HR program lands right in the middle of Alabama options but significantly underperforms national standards, ranking in just the 5th percentile nationwide. Starting earnings of $40,764 trail both the state median ($44,736) and national median ($50,361) by substantial margins—graduates here earn roughly $10,000 less annually than the typical HR graduate nationally. More troubling, earnings actually decline to $37,351 by year four, an 8% drop that bucks the typical career progression pattern.

The debt load of $33,124 isn't catastrophic—it's close to the state median—but paired with below-average earnings, it creates a stretched financial picture. That 0.81 debt-to-earnings ratio means nearly a full year's salary goes toward student loans, leaving little cushion for graduates who may struggle to gain traction in the field. Within Alabama, this program sits at the 40th percentile, meaning six in ten HR programs in the state deliver better outcomes.

For the cost, families should seriously question whether this investment makes sense. Columbia Southern and UAB both offer significantly stronger earning potential for similar or lower debt. Unless there are compelling non-financial reasons to attend Faulkner specifically, prospective HR students would be better served exploring alternatives that don't combine below-average starting salaries with declining earnings trajectories.