Human Services at Tacoma Community College

Tacoma Community College's Human Services associate's degree shows graduates earning $41,008 their first year—nearly $10,000 more than the national median and landing in the 95th percentile nationally. That's genuinely impressive for a two-year program. However, before celebrating, note that Washington only has three schools offering this degree, and Tacoma sits at the median for the state. This suggests the standout performance may reflect Washington's higher cost of living and wages rather than something unique about this program.

The debt load of $17,367 translates to a 0.42 ratio against first-year earnings, which is manageable for community college debt. Graduates would need to allocate roughly 17% of gross income to repay loans over ten years—tight but workable on a human services salary. The real question is whether these earnings hold steady, as social service careers often face wage stagnation.

The major caveat: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, making these numbers statistically shaky. One or two outliers could significantly skew the results. For parents, this means the program might deliver exactly this outcome—or it might not. If your child is committed to human services work and plans to stay in Washington, this program appears positioned well. Just don't count on these specific numbers as gospel.