Human Services at Wayland Baptist University

Wayland Baptist graduates with human services degrees start earning about $33,000—roughly 10% below the national median but right at Texas's state median. What's notable here is the debt picture: at $27,258, graduates carry about $11,500 less debt than the typical Texas human services student, making this program's debt burden 26th percentile nationally (meaning only a quarter of programs have lower debt).

That lower debt load matters significantly. While first-year earnings place this program in just the 15th percentile nationally, the 0.82 debt-to-earnings ratio is manageable, and earnings grow 20% by year four to nearly $40,000. Within Texas specifically, this program actually performs at the 60th percentile for earnings—meaning it outearns most in-state alternatives despite its lower national ranking. For Texas families, that state context is crucial: you're getting median in-state earnings with substantially less debt than most Texas programs.

The fundamental challenge remains that human services careers typically pay modestly, regardless of where you study. But if your child is committed to this field and planning to stay in Texas, Wayland's combination of median state earnings and well-below-average debt makes it a more practical choice than most in-state alternatives. The 40% Pell grant rate suggests the university understands how to serve students who need to manage costs carefully.