Human Services at Franklin Pierce University

Franklin Pierce's Human Services bachelor's degree carries an estimated debt load of $32,524—roughly nine months of first-year earnings based on comparable programs. While this debt-to-earnings ratio falls within a manageable range, the earnings picture tells a tougher story. Similar programs nationally suggest starting salaries around $36,630, which is about $2,000 below what graduates from other New Hampshire human services programs typically earn. That gap matters when you're making loan payments on a human services salary.

The field itself presents financial challenges regardless of where you study it. Human services draws people motivated by purpose rather than paychecks, and the compensation reflects that. But context is important: at Southern New Hampshire University, the only other NH program with public earnings data, graduates start at $38,461—about 5% more than Franklin Pierce's estimated figure suggests. Over time, even small salary differences compound significantly when you're repaying debt.

For families committed to this career path, Franklin Pierce may work if your child has genuine ties to the institution or values the smaller campus environment. But purely from a return-on-investment standpoint, the estimated debt burden combined with below-state-average earnings projections means you should carefully compare financial aid packages against other NH options before deciding. The program may produce strong outcomes that aren't captured in these estimates, but without actual data, you're accepting more financial uncertainty than at schools with documented results.