Behavioral Sciences at Juniata College

A behavioral sciences bachelor's from comparable programs nationwide suggests first-year earnings around $35,410 with roughly $26,865 in debt—numbers that look manageable on paper with a 0.76 debt-to-earnings ratio. However, Pennsylvania's behavioral sciences programs typically produce stronger outcomes, with median earnings of $38,391, suggesting graduates from PA schools often outperform the national baseline by about $3,000 annually.

The estimated debt load appears reasonable for a private liberal arts college, though it's worth noting similar credential levels at Juniata typically result in debt about $6,000 below Pennsylvania's median for this field. This suggests the college may offer stronger financial aid than some state peers, which matters when first-year earnings hover in the mid-$30,000s—a level where every dollar of debt reduction helps with loan repayment.

The limitation here is uncertainty: with both earnings and debt estimated from peer institutions rather than Juniata's actual graduates, your child could reasonably finish with different outcomes. The 72% admission rate and moderate SAT scores suggest Juniata serves a broad student population, which can mean wider variation in graduate outcomes. If behavioral sciences is genuinely the goal, request placement data and alumni outcomes directly from the department to understand where Juniata's specific graduates land—especially whether they're tracking closer to the national median or Pennsylvania's stronger figures.