Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions at Palm Beach State College

With a small sample size flagging caution, Palm Beach State's mental health services program appears to tread water rather than propel students forward. Graduates earn $32,260 in their first year—landing below both Florida's median ($34,108) and the national average for this field. Among Florida's dozen programs, this ranks in just the 40th percentile, with nearby Hillsborough Community College's graduates earning about $3,700 more annually. The debt load of $15,505 is manageable at roughly six months of first-year income, but that's the silver lining to what's otherwise an underwhelming earnings picture.

The real question for parents: why accept below-average outcomes when better alternatives exist in-state? Mental health services represent growing career fields, but this program isn't positioning graduates to capture that upside. The 38% Pell grant rate suggests the college serves students who need education to deliver strong returns, yet earnings here trail state and national benchmarks from day one.

For families considering this path, the limited sample size means these numbers could shift significantly year to year. But based on available evidence, students interested in mental health services would likely benefit more from exploring programs like Hillsborough's that demonstrate stronger graduate earnings. At minimum, investigate what explains the earnings gap before committing.