Agricultural Public Services at Tarleton State University

Is a bachelor's in Agricultural Public Services worth $19,500 in debt when comparable programs nationally suggest first-year earnings around $44,000? The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.45 is manageable by most standards—you'd be looking at roughly half a year's salary in loans, which is within the range financial advisors typically consider reasonable. Similar programs across Texas show a range from about $36,000 to $44,000 in starting pay, placing Tarleton's estimated outcome near the top of that spectrum.

What makes this picture more uncertain is that these figures come from peer programs nationally, not Tarleton's actual graduates—the school's cohort was too small for the Department of Education to report specific outcomes. The small class size could reflect either a niche program with limited enrollment or one that's being phased down, both worth investigating. Texas A&M's Agricultural Public Services program, with reported earnings of $44,232, provides the closest actual benchmark and aligns closely with what you might expect here.

The real question is whether your child has a clear path in agricultural policy, extension services, or rural development—fields where this degree is designed to lead. If they're committed to that career direction and Tarleton offers the hands-on experience and connections they need, the estimated debt burden appears sustainable. But given the uncertainty in the data, ask the department directly about recent graduate outcomes and where their alumni actually land jobs.