Human Resources Management and Services at Lake Erie College

Lake Erie College's HR program comes with an estimated debt load of $35,000—significantly higher than both the state median of $25,000 and the national median of $26,625 for this degree. That debt burden matters because first-year earnings from comparable Ohio HR programs hover around $45,000, placing graduates at a 0.77 debt-to-earnings ratio. That's not catastrophic, but it's elevated, especially when other Ohio schools producing similar graduates tend to leave students with substantially less debt.

The earnings gap is equally concerning. While peer programs in Ohio typically start graduates around $45,000, top performers like Walsh University and Ohio State place their HR graduates at $81,000 and $59,000 respectively. Even mid-tier programs like Bluffton hit $55,000. Lake Erie's program appears to track with the state average rather than outperform it, which raises questions about whether the premium tuition justifies the outcome.

For parents weighing this option, the math is straightforward: you're potentially taking on above-average debt for average-at-best career outcomes in a field where your starting salary may not comfortably cover loan payments. Before committing, compare Lake Erie's actual financial aid package against programs with stronger track records—particularly state universities where HR programs produce comparable or better results with less debt.