Human Resources Management and Services at Ottawa University-Surprise

Ottawa University-Surprise's HR program produces graduates earning about $4,900 less than the typical Arizona HR graduate—landing in the 40th percentile statewide. With only five schools offering this degree in Arizona, that's a meaningful gap, especially when University of Phoenix grads in the same field start at nearly $58,000. The $49,063 starting salary also trails the national median by about $1,300, placing this program squarely in the bottom half nationally.

The debt picture offers some relief: at $30,736, borrowing here matches both the state and near-national medians, keeping the debt-to-earnings ratio at a manageable 0.63. That's roughly seven months of gross income—not crushing, but not comfortable either given the below-average earnings. For a field where starting salaries rarely climb dramatically, that initial earning gap matters over the long term.

The critical caveat here is sample size—fewer than 30 graduates means one exceptional or struggling cohort can skew these numbers significantly. For parents weighing this program, the safer bet in Arizona appears to be University of Arizona's HR program, which commands the state median salary. Unless Ottawa University-Surprise offers compelling advantages like location or scheduling flexibility, the combination of below-average earnings and limited graduate data should prompt serious comparison shopping before committing.