Human Services at William Penn University

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.80 suggests relative affordability for a human services degree, though the figures here come from comparable programs rather than William Penn's own graduates. Based on Iowa's small pool of human services programs, first-year earnings around $40,750 align with what graduates across the state typically see—neither leading the pack nor lagging behind. The estimated $32,524 debt load sits below both Iowa's median and what nearby schools report, which matters in a field where starting salaries rarely break $45,000.

What complicates the picture is Iowa's limited human services landscape—only four schools report data, making it harder to gauge whether William Penn delivers distinct value. The school serves a high proportion of Pell-eligible students (46%), suggesting strong support for lower-income families, but without actual outcomes data for this program, you're making assumptions based on peer performance. Human services careers typically offer stability rather than rapid salary growth, so that sub-1.0 debt ratio provides some breathing room for loan repayment.

The practical question: can your family afford to bet on estimates? If similar debt and earnings materialize, graduates face manageable monthly payments while entering stable, mission-driven work. But if this program underperforms its Iowa peers—something the suppressed data prevents you from knowing—the margin for error narrows quickly in a modest-paying field.