Human Services at Quincy University

Quincy University's Human Services program produces starting salaries around $33,000—notably below both the national median ($36,630) and Illinois average ($35,198) for this degree. While the debt load of $27,000 is actually more manageable than typical for this field, the earnings plateau immediately, with graduates making essentially the same four years out as they do fresh out of college. Among Illinois programs, this ranks in the 40th percentile, meaning roughly half of comparable in-state options deliver better outcomes.

The sample size here is small (under 30 graduates), which means these numbers could shift significantly with more data. Still, the pattern is worth noting: Human Services is already a modest-earning field, and this particular program sits in the bottom 15% nationally for graduate earnings. For a family considering the $27,000 debt investment, that works out to nearly a full year's salary—not catastrophic, but meaningful when earnings don't grow and already start below the field's norm.

If your student is committed to Human Services and prefers a smaller school environment, Quincy might fit. But financially, they'd likely be better served at Northern Illinois University (similar outcomes, likely lower cost as a public institution) or Judson University, where graduates earn $5,000 more annually. Given the flat earnings trajectory, maximizing that starting salary matters more in this field than in others where growth compensates for modest beginnings.