Human Services at Fitchburg State University

Fitchburg State's Human Services program punches well above its weight class. Despite the university's 90% acceptance rate and modest SAT scores, graduates earn $45,641 in their first year—placing them in the 95th percentile nationally and making roughly $9,000 more than the typical human services graduate. That's competitive with elite Northeastern University while maintaining manageable debt levels at $26,352.

The state picture provides useful context: this program sits at the 60th percentile among Massachusetts schools, meaning there are stronger options in-state, but the difference is modest. More importantly, graduates here avoid the debt trap common in social service fields. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.58, students can realistically pay down their loans while building careers in a notoriously underpaid sector. Earnings also grow steadily to $48,365 by year four, suggesting stable career trajectories rather than dead-end positions.

For families seeking an affordable path into human services work, this represents solid value. The combination of accessible admissions, strong earning outcomes relative to program peers nationally, and reasonable debt creates a sustainable foundation. Students won't be saddled with private university bills while trying to serve their communities on nonprofit salaries.