Human Resources Management and Services at United States Military Academy

West Point graduates this program with a unique complication: these figures come from peer programs in New York, not actual Academy outcomes, because the graduate cohort is too small for the Department of Education to publish. Based on comparable programs, estimated first-year earnings of $53,317 land right at the state median, while estimated debt of $25,000 sits slightly below typical borrowing. What makes this particularly tricky is that West Point operates differently from traditional colleges—cadets incur a service obligation rather than tuition, which these debt estimates don't capture. The $25,000 figure reflects how similar service academies report in federal data, but your child's actual financial picture depends entirely on their military commitment terms.

The earnings estimate presents its own uncertainty. Human Resources programs in New York vary dramatically—from Cornell's $73,436 down to SUNY Alfred's $33,658—and a military academy graduate's career trajectory likely differs from civilian university peers used to generate these figures. The service obligation means early career paths are predetermined, potentially limiting immediate earning potential compared to private sector HR roles, though military benefits and later career opportunities complicate any simple comparison.

Given the estimation uncertainty and West Point's distinctive structure, these numbers offer limited guidance. Focus instead on whether the service commitment aligns with your child's goals, understanding that the financial trade-offs here aren't captured by typical debt-to-earnings analysis.