Human Services at Mohawk Valley Community College

Mohawk Valley's Human Services program graduates earn $25,855 in their first year—about $1,600 below the New York state median and nearly $6,000 below the national average. While the program sits at the 40th percentile among New York schools, top-performing CUNY and SUNY programs in the state deliver 25-40% higher starting salaries, suggesting location and institutional connections matter significantly in this field. The debt load of $11,750 is manageable, coming in well below both state and national medians, which partially offsets the earnings concern.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.45 means graduates face half a year's salary in loans—reasonable by community college standards but less impressive given the modest salary figure. In human services careers, where advancement often requires additional credentials, these early earnings may represent just the starting point. However, the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means a few outliers could be skewing these numbers in either direction.

For families considering this program, the lower debt is its strongest selling point, but the earnings gap matters. If your student plans to work in upstate New York, compare this carefully against Hudson Valley or Fulton-Montgomery community colleges, where graduates earn $5,000-7,000 more annually. That difference compounds quickly over a career and may justify exploring other options in the SUNY system.