Human Resources Management and Services at University of Dubuque

University of Dubuque's HR program lands squarely in the middle of Iowa's offerings, with recent graduates earning $48,657—just below both the state median ($49,512) and national median ($50,361). Among Iowa's 14 HR programs, this places in the 40th percentile, meaning more than half of comparable state programs produce higher-earning graduates. The gap becomes stark when you look at top performers: Waldorf University graduates earn 60% more at $77,897, while even nearby competitors like Grand View and Upper Iowa edge ahead by $1,000-2,000 annually.

The debt picture is reasonable at $27,000, creating a manageable 0.55 debt-to-earnings ratio that should allow graduates to pay off loans within a reasonable timeframe. For a school serving a high proportion of Pell Grant recipients (40%), this accessibility matters. However, the critical caveat here is sample size—with fewer than 30 graduates in this cohort, one or two outliers could significantly skew these numbers up or down.

For families considering this program, the core question is whether the middle-of-the-pack earnings justify the choice, particularly when University of Iowa—with its stronger reputation and only slightly higher first-year earnings—exists as an in-state option. Unless there are compelling personal reasons to choose Dubuque specifically (location, campus fit, financial aid package), this program doesn't offer a clear advantage over alternatives within Iowa.