City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning at Texas State University

Texas State's urban planning program puts graduates right at the national median salary but lags behind other Texas options. While $47,256 starting looks solid compared to the $44,146 national average, it sits at just the 40th percentile among Texas programs—meaning most in-state competitors deliver better outcomes. Texas A&M's similar program, for instance, starts graduates $3,300 higher. The modest 8% earnings growth to $50,917 by year four suggests planning careers develop slowly, which matters when you're competing in a state where the median graduate starts above $48,900.

The financial picture is reasonable: $26,000 in debt means graduates need about half their first year's salary to cover loans, and the debt sits below the national median. For a career serving the public interest through city planning and community development, this represents manageable risk, especially at a school where 36% of students qualify for Pell grants.

The catch is sample size—fewer than 30 graduates means one unusually successful (or struggling) graduate can skew these numbers significantly. If your child is committed to urban planning and Texas State offers the right campus culture, this isn't a dangerous bet. But if flexibility matters, know that other Texas programs appear to launch graduates into higher-paying positions from day one, which compounds over a career.