Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions at Indiana University-Indianapolis

Borrowing an estimated $25,000 to earn around $37,000 in your first year looks reasonable on paper—that 0.67 debt-to-earnings ratio sits well below the danger zone—but the lack of actual data here matters more than the numbers suggest. When the Department of Education suppresses earnings and debt figures because too few graduates can be tracked, it often signals a program with limited enrollment or inconsistent outcomes, making it harder to predict what your child will actually experience.

The estimated figures come from a small pool of comparable Indiana programs, and even among those with reported data, the range is substantial—from roughly $34,000 to over $40,000 in first-year earnings. That $6,000 spread represents real differences in career outcomes, potentially shaped by factors like program focus (clinical roles versus administrative positions), internship networks, or credential requirements for specific jobs. Indiana's median debt for this field runs much higher at $44,811, so if the $25,000 estimate holds, it would represent a genuine advantage.

The practical challenge is that mental health and social services careers often require graduate degrees for licensure and competitive salaries, meaning this bachelor's may function as a stepping stone rather than a terminal credential. Before committing, talk directly with IU Indianapolis about where recent graduates actually landed jobs and whether most continue to graduate school—information that matters far more than state-level estimates for a program whose specific outcomes remain unclear.