Human Services at Syracuse University

Syracuse's Human Services program puts graduates slightly above the New York state median for earnings, though with debt levels that also run higher than typical. At $41,551 in first-year earnings, graduates earn within the top tier nationally but fall in the middle of the pack among New York programs—trailing St. Joseph's and CUNY NYC College of Technology by a few thousand dollars. The debt load of $26,273 translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63, which is manageable but worth noting in context: you're paying private university prices for outcomes that some CUNY programs deliver at a fraction of the cost.

The small sample size here matters. With fewer than 30 graduates in the data, one or two outliers could skew these numbers significantly in either direction. That said, the earnings advantage over the national median ($5,000 more) suggests Syracuse's reputation and alumni network may help with initial job placement in a field where salaries tend to be modest regardless of where you study.

For families paying full private tuition, the math gets harder to justify when public options produce comparable results. But if financial aid brings the actual cost closer to what you'd pay at a state school, this becomes more defensible—you're getting solid outcomes in a field where connections and institutional support matter for career advancement.