Human Development, Family Studies, at University of Virginia-Main Campus

UVA's Human Development program produces modest outcomes that seem disconnected from the university's elite reputation. At $34,533 in first-year earnings, graduates earn just slightly above the state and national medians—middling results for a school where admitted students average near-perfect SAT scores. The debt load of $19,500 is better than most programs in this field, though that's a low bar given the consistently modest earnings across Human Development nationally.

The comparison to George Mason is telling: their graduates in this field earn $45,140—nearly $11,000 more annually. Even with UVA's lower debt burden, that earnings gap would take years to overcome. You're essentially trading on a prestigious name that doesn't appear to translate into better job prospects for this particular major, at least in the short term.

The critical caveat here is sample size—fewer than 30 graduates means these numbers could shift dramatically year to year. But if you're paying out-of-state tuition at UVA specifically for this program, the value proposition is questionable. In-state students at least avoid the premium price tag while accessing strong alumni networks. Consider whether the UVA brand in this field justifies the opportunity cost of attending a more selective school when outcomes look similar to less competitive alternatives.