Human Resources Management and Services at Purdue University Northwest

Purdue University Northwest's HR program lands below both national and state earnings benchmarks, with first-year graduates earning $47,640 compared to $50,361 nationally and $49,225 statewide. At the 40th percentile among Indiana programs, it trails competitors like Indiana Wesleyan ($56,752) and Purdue Global ($50,810) by notable margins. For a program at this price point, those gaps matter—graduates are starting $3,000-9,000 behind peers from similar Indiana institutions.

The debt load of $26,486 sits right at Indiana's median for HR programs, creating a manageable but not impressive debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.56. Graduates should be able to handle payments on a standard 10-year plan, but they're doing so with less earning power than most HR graduates across the state. The 71% admission rate and modest SAT averages suggest an accessible program, yet the earnings don't reflect a strong employment outcome advantage.

For families considering this program, the question becomes whether the regional job connections justify accepting below-average starting salaries. If your student has offers from Ball State (similar earnings) or can access Purdue Global's online option (better earnings, same debt), those alternatives deserve serious consideration. This isn't a financially problematic choice, but it's not optimizing for return on investment within Indiana's HR landscape.