Human Resources Management and Services at University of Illinois Chicago

The $51,763 first-year salary suggested by comparable Illinois HR programs positions this degree right at the state median—a middle-of-the-road outcome in a field where top programs like Benedictine and Northwestern produce substantially higher early earnings. With an estimated debt load of $25,000 (slightly below typical for this major), the 0.48 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests manageable repayment, though that assumes earnings track with the broader state pattern rather than sliding toward the lower end of the range.

What makes this calculation trickier is that UIC serves a predominantly working-class student body (half receive Pell grants), and HR roles in Chicago's competitive market often favor candidates with internship networks and polish that wealthier students can more easily access. The estimated figures don't reveal whether UIC's career services effectively level that playing field or whether graduates struggle to break into positions that justify the investment. Similar programs across Illinois show a $30,000 spread between top and bottom performers, and without actual graduate outcomes, there's no way to know where UIC falls in that distribution.

The fundamentals here—moderate debt against a potentially solid salary—could work out fine if your student secures a corporate HR role. But given the uncertainty and the presence of comparable programs with verified stronger outcomes nearby, you'd want concrete evidence of UIC's placement success before committing.