Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions at Texas A&M University-College Station

Texas A&M's graduates in this field face an immediate challenge: first-year earnings of $34,671 fall nearly $5,400 below the national median, landing in just the 21st percentile nationally. Within Texas, however, the picture shifts—this program sits at the state median for earnings and actually performs better than half of comparable programs in-state. The problem is that with only six schools offering this major in Texas, you're essentially choosing from a very limited pool where "middle of the pack" still means relatively weak starting salaries.

The debt situation compounds the earnings concern. At $19,249, graduates carry one of the highest debt loads nationally (95th percentile), even though it's below the typical $27,000 for this field. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.56 is manageable on paper, but when your baseline earnings are this low, every dollar of debt matters more. For context, $34,671 translates to roughly $2,100 monthly after taxes—tight quarters when you're starting loan repayment.

If your child is committed to mental and social health services, this Texas A&M program won't cripple them financially, but they should know they're entering a field with compressed early earnings regardless of school choice. The real question is whether the career growth potential in their specific interest area justifies starting this far below average. If graduate school is likely—common in this field—that debt will stack.