Human Development, Family Studies, at Post University

Post University graduates this program carrying debt loads that should alarm any parent: at $50,610, that's more than double both the state median ($23,059) and national median ($25,000) for the same field. To put that in perspective, this program ranks in just the 5th percentile nationally for debt—meaning 95% of similar programs saddle students with less debt. For a field where first-year earnings average $31,627, the debt burden translates to a 1.60 ratio, requiring graduates to dedicate roughly 1.6 years of gross income to repay what they borrowed.

The earnings picture offers little relief. At 40th percentile within Connecticut, this program underperforms the state median by a small margin, and graduates earn roughly $2,000 less than the national average for their field. While earnings do grow modestly to $33,918 by year four, that trajectory barely outpaces inflation. Compare this to Connecticut College's human development program, where graduates start at $41,609—that's a $10,000 annual advantage that compounds over a career.

Given that 73% of Post students receive Pell grants, many families here are taking on significant financial risk for below-average outcomes. The math is straightforward: borrowing twice the field's typical debt to earn below-median wages creates a repayment burden that will constrain graduates' financial flexibility for years. Unless your child has compelling reasons to attend Post specifically, Connecticut's public university system offers the same field at substantially lower debt levels with comparable earnings potential.