Human Services at Gordon State College

Gordon State College's Human Services program delivers earnings that trail the national average by about $3,000 annually, placing it in just the 20th percentile nationwide. However, context matters here: among Georgia's limited options for this degree, it actually performs decently, ranking in the 60th percentile statewide and matching the state's median debt level. For in-state students—and with 47% of students receiving Pell grants, many are cost-conscious—this program beats what Kennesaw State and Shorter University deliver while staying close to the University of North Georgia's outcomes.

The debt picture is manageable at $31,000, translating to a debt-to-earnings ratio under 1.0, which means graduates owe less than their first year's salary. Earnings do grow modestly to $35,501 by year four, though this isn't a high-earning field regardless of where you study. Human services careers typically prioritize mission over money, so these numbers reflect broader field realities rather than program-specific weaknesses.

For Georgia families considering in-state tuition rates, this represents a reasonable path into human services work without excessive debt. The program won't catapult graduates into high earnings, but it provides stable entry into a meaningful field at a cost structure that's workable for most graduates. If your child is drawn to social services work and plans to stay in Georgia, the combination of accessibility and contained debt makes this worth considering.