Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences at Jacksonville State University

Jacksonville State's Family and Consumer Sciences program produces starting salaries around $29,000—below both national and state medians for this field. While it ranks at the 40th percentile among Alabama's five programs, that still means three other in-state options deliver better outcomes. The University of Alabama's program, for instance, produces graduates earning $6,000 more annually right out of the gate.

The debt picture offers some relief: at $28,327, it's close to both state and national norms, and the resulting debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.97 means graduates can expect to carry debt roughly equal to their first year's salary. That's manageable but not comfortable. The 13% earnings growth to $33,000 by year four is steady but modest, leaving graduates still below the national median even after several years of career progression.

For Alabama families, this program delivers predictable but unremarkable results. If your child is committed to this field and Jacksonville State offers significant advantages like proximity to home or specific faculty expertise, the numbers aren't alarming enough to rule it out. However, if you're comparing options within Alabama, both UA and University of North Alabama show stronger graduate outcomes at similar debt levels. The question becomes whether any non-financial factors—campus culture, location, support services—tip the scales back toward Jacksonville State.