Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences at Northwestern State University of Louisiana

Northwestern's Family and Consumer Sciences program posts unusually strong first-year earnings—$38,010 puts graduates ahead of 95% of similar programs nationally and in the 80th percentile among Louisiana schools. That's nearly $11,000 above peers at Nicholls State and over $10,000 above the Louisiana median. The problem? Earnings drop to $31,822 by year four, erasing much of that initial advantage.

The debt picture adds complexity. At $43,158, graduates carry considerably more than the state median of $35,112 and well above the national benchmark of $26,500. With earnings declining rather than growing, that 1.14 debt-to-earnings ratio will actually worsen over time—an unusual trajectory that suggests either career changes or limited advancement opportunities in whatever fields these graduates initially enter.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these figures could swing significantly year to year, so don't treat them as gospel. But the earnings decline pattern is striking enough to warrant questions: What are graduates doing initially that pays relatively well, and why doesn't it last? If your child is specifically drawn to this field, they should understand the career path clearly before taking on $43,000 in debt for outcomes that trend downward.