Human Services, General: is this master's degree worth it?
National picture across 23 reporting college programs.
Personal baseline needed
$57,277 in median year-4 earnings
A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.
$57,277Median year-4 earnings
$19,886Average institution net-price context
Not availableMedian federal debt
Four useful answers about Human Services, General
How much do Human Services, General master's degree graduates earn?
The national median is $57,277 four years after completion across reportable master's degree programs in this federal field.
How much federal debt do graduates have?
A national median federal-debt figure is not reportable for this degree in the current release.
Does the college matter for Human Services, General?
Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $55,797 to $61,077 in observed year-4 earnings.
What careers are related to Human Services, General?
DegreeVerdict links this field to 3 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.
Observed national outcomes
$57,277Median reported earnings · year 4
$58,391Average reported earnings · year 5
Not availableMedian federal debt
9thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
Not availableIPEDS 2023–24 first-major awards across matched colleges
23With year-4 earnings
The award total covers 0 matched college records and is not extrapolated to colleges without a match.
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts, not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
OPEN PROFILE
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $29,382
- Federal debt
- $16,248
- Reporting programs
- 12
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $40,247
- Federal debt
- $20,441
- Reporting programs
- 83
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $48,799
- Federal debt
- $31,549
- Reporting programs
- 106
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $57,277
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 23
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $72,005
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 2
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $52,538
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$55,797National median$57,27775th percentile$61,077
23 programs report year‑4 earnings.DECISION CHECK
What to compare before choosing a program
The national result is only the starting point. Price, debt and the college-level earnings spread can materially change the payoff.
PRICE × EARNINGS MAP
Where colleges sit for this exact degree
Move left for a lower annual college-wide net price and up for higher observed year-4 earnings.
$69,886Observed year-4 earnings$51,706
University of South Dakota$19,858 price · $86,703 earningsNortheastern University$30,915 price · $69,886 earningsPost University$21,634 price · $69,262 earningsUniversity of Illinois Springfield$9,833 price · $66,186 earningsLincoln University$14,977 price · $63,698 earningsEast Central University$8,683 price · $61,077 earningsEast Tennessee State University$15,983 price · $60,052 earningsUniversity of South Florida$9,812 price · $59,322 earningsWebster University$27,047 price · $59,247 earningsChestnut Hill College$27,970 price · $59,051 earningsUniversity of Baltimore$13,868 price · $57,277 earningsConcordia University-Chicago$18,436 price · $56,757 earningsWalden University$33,817 price · $56,751 earningsWarner Pacific University$25,629 price · $56,485 earningsLenoir-Rhyne University$20,689 price · $56,364 earningsCapella University$17,956 price · $55,797 earningsWilmington University$15,644 price · $55,617 earningsMercer University$23,847 price · $53,659 earningsPurdue University Global$7,770 price · $52,013 earningsSoutheastern University$31,942 price · $51,706 earningsSaint Leo University$21,293 price · $44,950 earnings
$8,683Annual college-wide average net price$31,942
Put the same degree side by side.
Start with the leading reportable programs, then change the selection to match your shortlist.
Compare 3 programs →Choose colleges offering this exact degree
Narrow one field and credential by location, sector and debt, then compare two to four programs side by side.
23 matchesSelect up to four · showing 25 currently operating colleges
Open the full program search →
See the spread, not just the national number.
1University of South Dakota$86,7032Northeastern University$69,8863Northeastern University Professional Programs$69,8864Post University$69,2625University of Illinois Springfield$66,1866Lincoln University$63,6987East Central University$61,0778East Tennessee State University$60,0529University of South Florida$59,32210Webster University$59,247Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations, wages and demand
Official CIP–SOC links show where this field can lead. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same occupation.
Pay and projected demand
Related careers do not share one outlook
Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection
Higher median wage ↑
-7%Projected employment growth →12%
Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.
Social and Community Service Managers$80,390 median wage209,330 U.S. jobs · SOC 11-9151+7.2% projected employment, 2025–35 · 18.5k annual openingsTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$53,150–$132,260 10th–90th percentileCommunity and Social Service Specialists, All Other$56,730 median wage107,730 U.S. jobs · SOC 21-1099+5.5% projected employment, 2025–35 · 11.6k annual openingsTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$37,310–$84,210 10th–90th percentileSocial and Human Service Assistants$45,930 median wage437,860 U.S. jobs · SOC 21-1093+7.4% projected employment, 2025–35 · 48.9k annual openingsTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$34,200–$63,290 10th–90th percentile
BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 employment projections. Career context is separate from graduate outcomes.
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | ROI status | Cost context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of South DakotaMaster's Degree | Vermillion, SD | $86,703 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $19,858 |
| 2 | Northeastern UniversityMaster's Degree | Boston, MA | $69,886 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $30,915 |
| 3 | Northeastern University Professional ProgramsMaster's Degree | Boston, MA | $69,886 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | Not available |
| 4 | Post UniversityMaster's Degree | Waterbury, CT | $69,262 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $21,634 |
| 5 | University of Illinois SpringfieldMaster's Degree | Springfield, IL | $66,186 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $9,833 |
| 6 | Lincoln UniversityMaster's Degree | Lincoln University, PA | $63,698 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $14,977 |
| 7 | East Central UniversityMaster's Degree | Ada, OK | $61,077 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $8,683 |
| 8 | East Tennessee State UniversityMaster's Degree | Johnson City, TN | $60,052 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $15,983 |
| 9 | University of South FloridaMaster's Degree | Tampa, FL | $59,322 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $9,812 |
| 10 | Webster UniversityMaster's Degree | Saint Louis, MO | $59,247 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $27,047 |
| 11 | Chestnut Hill CollegeMaster's Degree | Philadelphia, PA | $59,051 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $27,970 |
| 12 | University of BaltimoreMaster's Degree | Baltimore, MD | $57,277 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $13,868 |
| 13 | Concordia University-ChicagoMaster's Degree | River Forest, IL | $56,757 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $18,436 |
| 14 | Walden UniversityMaster's Degree | Minneapolis, MN | $56,751 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $33,817 |
| 15 | Warner Pacific UniversityMaster's Degree | Portland, OR | $56,485 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $25,629 |
| 16 | Warner Pacific University Professional and Graduate StudiesMaster's Degree | Portland, OR | $56,485 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | Not available |
| 17 | Lenoir-Rhyne UniversityMaster's Degree | Hickory, NC | $56,364 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $20,689 |
| 18 | Capella UniversityMaster's Degree | Minneapolis, MN | $55,797 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $17,956 |
| 19 | Wilmington UniversityMaster's Degree | New Castle, DE | $55,617 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $15,644 |
| 20 | Mercer UniversityMaster's Degree | Macon, GA | $53,659 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $23,847 |
| 21 | Purdue University GlobalMaster's Degree | West Lafayette, IN | $52,013 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $7,770 |
| 22 | Southeastern UniversityMaster's Degree | Lakeland, FL | $51,706 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $31,942 |
| 23 | Saint Leo UniversityMaster's Degree | Saint Leo, FL | $44,950 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $21,293 |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.