Human Services at Notre Dame de Namur University

A bachelor's degree in Human Services from Notre Dame de Namur carries an estimated $31,250 in debt—roughly in line with both state and national norms for this field. The concerning part is what similar programs typically produce in first-year earnings: around $36,630 nationally, with California programs averaging slightly higher at $38,528. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.85 means graduates would owe nearly a full year's salary right out of the gate, a challenging starting position for a helping profession known for modest pay scales.

The picture improves considerably by year four, when this program's graduates earn a median of $62,448—a substantial jump that suggests career progression is possible. However, that first year matters enormously when you're managing $31,000 in student loans on a $36,000 salary. For context, the top-performing Human Services programs in California report first-year earnings only slightly higher, topping out around $39,500. This isn't a program-specific problem; it's a field-wide reality that human services work typically doesn't command high starting salaries despite requiring a four-year degree.

Your child needs to enter this field with clear eyes about those early-career finances. If they're committed to human services work, looking for employer-sponsored loan repayment programs or public service loan forgiveness options should be part of the graduation plan, not an afterthought.