Human Development, Family Studies, at Texas State University

Texas State's Human Development program beats most of its in-state competition, outearning 60% of similar Texas programs—including the flagship UT Austin. With first-year earnings of $35,047 rising to nearly $41,000 by year four, graduates here are making about $8,700 more annually than the typical Texas program graduate after four years. The 17% earnings growth suggests career progression rather than a dead-end trajectory.

The debt picture is manageable: $22,295 is below both the state and national median for this field, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.64. In practical terms, graduates enter the workforce with debt equal to roughly eight months of their starting salary—a level most financial advisors consider reasonable. The combination of lower-than-average debt and higher-than-average earnings puts this program ahead of about two-thirds of comparable programs nationwide.

The main limitation is inherent to the field itself. Human development careers—child services, family counseling, social work—typically don't command high salaries regardless of where you study. Even the top Texas program (Texas Tech at $39,000) won't make anyone wealthy. But if your child is committed to this career path, Texas State offers solid preparation at a reasonable price, particularly compared to higher-debt alternatives. This is a smart choice for students who know they want this work and understand the financial trade-offs.