Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences at University of New Mexico-Main Campus

UNM's Family and Consumer Sciences program outperforms most similar programs nationwide, with first-year earnings ranking in the 81st percentile nationally—about $3,600 above the typical graduate. The $20,000 debt load is also meaningfully lower than the national median of $26,500, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.57 that looks manageable for families. The real question is whether you're comfortable with absolute earnings in the low-to-mid $30,000s, which limits financial flexibility regardless of how favorable the comparison looks.

The troubling pattern here is the 12% earnings decline between years one and four, dropping to just over $31,000. This backward trajectory could signal that many graduates take entry-level positions with limited advancement potential, or that they're working in nonprofit or education settings where pay increases slowly. With only two programs in New Mexico, your child won't have many in-state alternatives if they want to stay close to home, and UNM sits right at the state median for both earnings and debt.

For families prioritizing affordability and accessible admission (95% acceptance rate), this program delivers relatively strong outcomes within its field. But the declining earnings curve means your child should have a clear career plan beyond entry-level work, potentially including graduate education or pivoting into related fields where these skills command higher pay.