Human Services at Harrisburg Area Community College

Harrisburg Area Community College's Human Services program ranks in the 80th percentile for earnings among Pennsylvania programs, with graduates earning $33,674 their first year—about $7,000 more than the state median. That's the good news. The problematic part is the debt: at $36,401, it's nearly double the national median for this program and substantially higher than what other Pennsylvania schools are charging for similar outcomes.

That debt level creates a challenging financial picture for a field where earnings stay relatively flat (even dipping slightly to $32,715 by year four). With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.08, graduates are starting with debt roughly equal to their annual salary—a burden that will take years to resolve on human services wages. The program does perform well academically, ranking in the 71st percentile nationally for earnings, but those modestly above-average wages don't offset the financing problem.

For families considering this path: the program delivers solid preparation and better-than-average Pennsylvania outcomes, but that $36,401 in debt is a real obstacle. If your child can attend with significantly less borrowing—through family support, grants, or working part-time—the program makes more sense. Otherwise, this represents a difficult starting position for a helping profession where passion rarely translates to premium pay.