Human Development, Family Studies, at University of Idaho

The small sample size here demands caution, but the earnings trajectory raises real concerns. University of Idaho graduates in this program start at $34,340—reasonably above both the national and Idaho medians for Human Development and Family Studies. However, earnings drop to $29,201 by year four, a 15% decline that's unusual and troubling. While the debt load of $27,701 isn't excessive compared to national norms, it's significantly higher than the Idaho state median of roughly $20,000, and when paired with declining earnings, the picture shifts from manageable to problematic.

Among Idaho's three schools offering this program, U of I performs in the 60th percentile—middle of the pack. But that's a small field to lead, and the comparison to BYU-Idaho (which shows much lower initial earnings) suggests widely varying outcomes across the state's limited options. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.81 starts reasonable but worsens as earnings decline, meaning graduates could face years of financial strain.

With fewer than 30 graduates in this dataset, these numbers might not represent typical outcomes. But if they do, parents should understand they're looking at a program where earnings peak immediately and decline through the mid-twenties—the opposite of what you want from a bachelor's degree investment. Before committing, confirm whether graduates typically pursue additional credentials or whether this field simply has limited earning potential in Idaho.