Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences at University of North Alabama

This program sits right at Alabama's median for family and consumer sciences, though with fewer than 30 graduates in the data, these numbers could shift significantly year to year. First-year earnings of $30,568 trail slightly behind the national median of $31,748, but the 21% earnings growth to $37,110 by year four shows graduates gaining traction in their careers.

The debt load of $27,143 translates to a manageable 0.89 debt-to-earnings ratio—meaning graduates owe less than one year's starting salary. This is reasonable compared to other programs, and the trajectory matters: by year four, that ratio improves considerably as earnings climb. Among Alabama's five schools offering this program, UNA graduates earn more than those from Jacksonville State but lag behind Alabama's flagship by about $4,000 annually in later years.

The small sample size is the real wildcard here. With such few graduates tracked, one or two outliers could skew the entire picture. If your child is committed to this field and comfortable with the modest starting salary, UNA provides an accessible option (96% admission rate) with debt levels that won't trap them. Just understand the earnings ceiling appears lower than what you'd see from Alabama's main campus, and the limited data makes it harder to assess consistency.