Human Resources Management and Services at James A. Rhodes State College

An estimated $16,261 in debt positions this program well below both state and national benchmarks for Human Resources associate degrees—Ohio programs typically burden graduates with $35,666 in debt, while the national median sits at $26,536. Based on comparable associate programs in HR nationally, first-year earnings around $40,000 would translate to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.41, meaning graduates might face roughly five months of gross income in debt rather than the ten months typical elsewhere.

The challenge with this program is the limited direct evidence: the small graduate sample that led to data suppression makes it hard to know whether Rhodes State's specific approach and local employer connections actually deliver the outcomes suggested by peer programs. What we do know is that associate degrees in HR often position graduates for coordinator or assistant roles that, nationally, produce modest starting salaries but manageable debt loads. The relatively low Pell grant percentage (15%) suggests this school may not serve many higher-need students, which could indicate different post-graduation support structures than at more economically diverse institutions.

If your child is certain about an HR career and wants to stay in the Lima region, the estimated debt burden appears reasonable. However, the lack of actual graduate outcomes from this program means you're essentially betting on regional employer demand and the school's placement relationships—factors worth investigating directly with the career services office before committing.