Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions at University of Cincinnati-Main Campus

UC-Cincinnati's mental and social health services program reports impressive earnings—$46,270 puts graduates in the 95th percentile nationally—but this comes with a significant caveat: the sample size is under 30 students, making these figures less reliable than data from larger programs. More concerning is the debt load of $53,508, roughly double both the national and Ohio medians for this field. That creates a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.16, meaning graduates owe more than they earn in their first year.

The earnings advantage over Ohio peers is real but modest—about $5,700 more than the state median—and may not justify carrying twice the typical debt burden. In a field where starting salaries cluster in the low-$40,000s statewide, taking on $53,000 in loans means years of aggressive repayment or income-driven plans that could extend the debt burden well into mid-career.

If your child is considering this program, treat the strong earnings data skeptically given the small sample, and focus on the debt reality. Unless your family can substantially reduce borrowing through savings, scholarships, or in-state tuition advantages, this program's debt load presents a challenging financial start in a helping profession that typically doesn't command premium salaries. The higher-than-average earnings reported here could easily reflect a few outlier graduates rather than a typical outcome.