Human Resources Management and Services at Southern Adventist University

A Bachelor's in Human Resources from Southern Adventist carries an estimated $30,000 in debt—slightly above both the national and Tennessee medians for HR programs. When peer programs nationally suggest first-year earnings around $50,000, that creates a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.60, which sits in reasonable territory but isn't particularly advantageous. The debt load here matters more than it might elsewhere because HR starting salaries, even at Tennessee's flagship university, hover in the mid-to-high $40,000s rather than commanding premium wages that quickly offset student loans.

The broader Tennessee landscape suggests caution. Similar HR programs in the state typically produce earnings around $44,000—about $6,000 below the national benchmark. Southern's estimated figures align more with national patterns than local ones, but without actual graduate outcomes from this specific program, parents should recognize they're making decisions with limited visibility. The 31% Pell Grant population indicates Southern serves students who may be particularly debt-sensitive, making that $30,000 burden more consequential for families without financial cushions.

The practical reality: HR jobs exist everywhere but rarely command salaries that make aggressive borrowing painless. If your child can complete this degree closer to Tennessee's typical $24,000 debt load—through scholarships, working, or family contributions—the math improves considerably. Above $30,000, you're betting on outcomes that may or may not materialize for Southern's actual graduates, since these figures come from comparable programs rather than verified results from Collegedale.