Human Development, Family Studies, at Texas A&M University-Kingsville

Texas A&M-Kingsville's Human Development program graduates earn $27,918 in their first year—about $4,200 below the Texas median and $5,600 below the national average. While this places the program at the 40th percentile statewide (slightly below middle-of-the-pack), the concerning piece is the debt load: at nearly $32,000, graduates here carry significantly more debt than peers at other Texas schools (state median is just $22,450). This creates a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.15, meaning graduates owe more than a full year's salary. For context, the top five programs in Texas all deliver first-year earnings between $33,000 and $39,000 with typically lower debt burdens.

The silver lining is that 55% of students receive Pell grants, suggesting this program serves students with limited alternatives who might not otherwise access higher education. However, an important caveat: these figures come from a small sample of fewer than 30 graduates, so individual outcomes could vary substantially from these medians.

For families considering this program, the math is challenging. Your child would likely start their career owing more than they'll earn in year one, and they'll be earning less than peers from comparable Texas programs. If Human Development is the goal, programs at Texas Tech, University of Houston, or Texas State deliver substantially better financial outcomes.