# Most Affordable Colleges for Human Resources

> CollegeRanker Agent Insights — structured data for AI systems
> Updated: 2026-05-31 | Schools: 50 | Category: Value
> Source: https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/most-affordable-human-resources

## Methodology

Ranked by affordability with program concentration in Business & Marketing

CollegeRanker uses a 4-pillar algorithm: Academic Quality (15-20%), Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25-35%), Value & Affordability (20-25%). Social mobility data from Raj Chetty's Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (30M+ anonymized tax records). No subjective surveys.

## Summary

When considering a degree in Human Resources, affordability is often a primary concern. The schools on this list excel at providing quality education without overwhelming financial burdens, making them appealing options for prospective students. For instance, the average net price across these institutions is just $4,020, significantly lower than the national average for public colleges.

The standout schools here not only prioritize affordability but also deliver solid outcomes related to earnings and graduation rates. The average earnings for graduates from these programs is $54,271, while the average graduation rate sits at 51%. This data illustrates the balance between cost and the potential return on investment students can expect, helping families make informed choices about their education.

Take CUNY Bernard M Baruch College and CUNY Brooklyn College as examples. Baruch boasts impressive earnings of $75,971 and a graduation rate of 72%, while Brooklyn lags with earnings of $60,752 and a graduation rate of just 55%. This contrast highlights the importance of evaluating not just costs, but also the long-term benefits of attending these institutions.

## Key Findings

- CUNY Bernard M Baruch College graduates earn an average of $75,971, the highest on the list.
- CUNY Brooklyn College has a lower graduation rate at 55%, compared to Baruch’s 72%.
- The average net price across the top schools is only $4,020, making them financially accessible.
- Graduates from these programs earn an average of $54,271, indicating a solid return on investment.

## Rankings

| Rank | School | Location | Graduation | Earnings (10yr) | Net Price | Median Debt | Debt/Earnings |
|------|--------|----------|------------|-----------------|-----------|-------------|---------------|
| 1 | [CUNY Bernard M Baruch College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-bernard-m-baruch-college) | New York, NY | 72% | $75,971 | $3,033 | $11,512 | 0.15x |
| 2 | [CUNY Brooklyn College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-brooklyn-college) | Brooklyn, NY | 55% | $60,752 | $3,103 | $11,000 | 0.18x |
| 3 | [CUNY Lehman College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-lehman-college) | Bronx, NY | 50% | $58,013 | $3,148 | $10,950 | 0.19x |
| 4 | [CUNY Hunter College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-hunter-college) | New York, NY | 59% | $63,163 | $2,984 | $11,000 | 0.17x |
| 5 | [CUNY Queens College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-queens-college) | Queens, NY | 56% | $62,763 | $4,195 | $10,298 | 0.16x |
| 6 | [University of Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-florida) | Gainesville, FL | 91% | $71,588 | $6,541 | $15,000 | 0.21x |
| 7 | [CUNY York College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-york-college) | Jamaica, NY | 31% | $56,945 | $4,456 | $11,000 | 0.19x |
| 8 | [University of Florida-Online](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-florida-online) | Gainesville, FL | 81% | $71,588 | $4,815 | $15,000 | 0.21x |
| 9 | [Florida International University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/florida-international-university) | Miami, FL | 74% | $60,249 | $9,288 | $16,500 | 0.27x |
| 10 | [CUNY Medgar Evers College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-medgar-evers-college) | Brooklyn, NY | 21% | $46,498 | $5,718 | $10,988 | 0.24x |
| 11 | [Florida Atlantic University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/florida-atlantic-university) | Boca Raton, FL | 63% | $56,746 | $8,752 | $17,236 | 0.3x |
| 12 | [University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-science-and-arts-of-oklahoma) | Chickasha, OK | 41% | $41,913 | $6,624 | $21,750 | 0.52x |
| 13 | [Southeastern Oklahoma State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/southeastern-oklahoma-state-university) | Durant, OK | 32% | $45,079 | $8,039 | $17,000 | 0.38x |
| 14 | [Texas A & M International University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/texas-a-m-international-university) | Laredo, TX | 48% | $48,386 | $3,637 | $15,000 | 0.31x |
| 15 | [CUNY City College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-city-college) | New York, NY | 56% | $66,039 | $3,776 | $11,990 | 0.18x |
| 16 | [Northern Kentucky University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/northern-kentucky-university) | Highland Heights, KY | 50% | $50,220 | $8,191 | $23,000 | 0.46x |
| 17 | [Indiana University-Kokomo](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/indiana-university-kokomo) | Kokomo, IN | 45% | $49,917 | $3,968 | $16,961 | 0.34x |
| 18 | [University of South Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-south-florida) | Tampa, FL | 76% | $57,743 | $9,812 | $17,988 | 0.31x |
| 19 | [Berea College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/berea-college) | Berea, KY | 60% | $43,150 | $6,106 | $3,591 | 0.08x |
| 20 | [Dalton State College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/dalton-state-college) | Dalton, GA | 28% | $40,251 | $5,012 | $12,937 | 0.32x |
| 21 | [Ferris State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/ferris-state-university) | Big Rapids, MI | 47% | $54,735 | $8,624 | $21,000 | 0.38x |
| 22 | [University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-puerto-rico-aguadilla) | Aguadilla, PR | 47% | $27,997 | $7,765 | $5,500 | 0.2x |
| 23 | [Oakland University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/oakland-university) | Rochester Hills, MI | 57% | $58,612 | $9,120 | $22,750 | 0.39x |
| 24 | [Elizabeth City State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/elizabeth-city-state-university) | Elizabeth City, NC | 46% | $40,026 | $6,364 | $21,463 | 0.54x |
| 25 | [Christian Brothers University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/christian-brothers-university) | Memphis, TN | 55% | $57,478 | $9,854 | $27,000 | 0.47x |
| 26 | [Marshall University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/marshall-university) | Huntington, WV | 50% | $46,354 | $7,502 | $23,250 | 0.5x |
| 27 | [University of Virginia's College at Wise](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-virginias-college-at-wise) | Wise, VA | 48% | $45,325 | $9,210 | $16,750 | 0.37x |
| 28 | [University of North Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-north-florida) | Jacksonville, FL | 69% | $56,343 | $10,154 | $15,531 | 0.28x |
| 29 | [University of Central Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-central-florida) | Orlando, FL | 77% | $58,308 | $10,411 | $18,190 | 0.31x |
| 30 | [Florida State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/florida-state-university) | Tallahassee, FL | 84% | $61,675 | $11,297 | $18,000 | 0.29x |
| 31 | [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill) | Chapel Hill, NC | 92% | $72,200 | $11,655 | $14,000 | 0.19x |
| 32 | [Fayetteville State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/fayetteville-state-university) | Fayetteville, NC | 37% | $40,144 | $7,892 | $22,987 | 0.57x |
| 33 | [California State University-Los Angeles](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-los-angeles) | Los Angeles, CA | 53% | $59,211 | $3,967 | $13,000 | 0.22x |
| 34 | [Portland State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/portland-state-university) | Portland, OR | 53% | $57,906 | $9,552 | $20,500 | 0.35x |
| 35 | [Rhode Island College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/rhode-island-college) | Providence, RI | 47% | $56,318 | $9,478 | $20,500 | 0.36x |
| 36 | [Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/georgia-institute-of-technology-main-campus) | Atlanta, GA | 93% | $102,772 | $12,116 | $21,672 | 0.21x |
| 37 | [California State University-Fullerton](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-fullerton) | Fullerton, CA | 70% | $62,951 | $6,555 | $13,750 | 0.22x |
| 38 | [College of Staten Island CUNY](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/college-of-staten-island-cuny) | Staten Island, NY | 33% | $53,501 | $5,579 | $14,350 | 0.27x |
| 39 | [California State University-San Bernardino](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-san-bernardino) | San Bernardino, CA | 55% | $59,977 | $4,564 | $14,715 | 0.25x |
| 40 | [Clayton  State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/clayton-state-university) | Morrow, GA | 38% | $49,179 | $8,365 | $25,706 | 0.52x |
| 41 | [Murray State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/murray-state-university) | Murray, KY | 60% | $44,737 | $9,096 | $20,500 | 0.46x |
| 42 | [University of West Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-west-florida) | Pensacola, FL | 60% | $49,137 | $9,364 | $16,624 | 0.34x |
| 43 | [Lamar University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lamar-university) | Beaumont, TX | 37% | $49,652 | $9,366 | $21,250 | 0.43x |
| 44 | [The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley) | Edinburg, TX | 50% | $49,620 | $4,831 | $12,950 | 0.26x |
| 45 | [University of Georgia](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-georgia) | Athens, GA | 89% | $68,726 | $13,936 | $18,500 | 0.27x |
| 46 | [Northwestern Oklahoma State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/northwestern-oklahoma-state-university) | Alva, OK | 33% | $44,358 | $10,104 | $17,355 | 0.39x |
| 47 | [Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/abraham-baldwin-agricultural-college) | Tifton, GA | 33% | $34,996 | $6,842 | $16,750 | 0.48x |
| 48 | [California State University-Stanislaus](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-stanislaus) | Turlock, CA | 56% | $63,188 | $6,067 | $13,540 | 0.21x |
| 49 | [CUNY New York City College of Technology](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-new-york-city-college-of-technology) | Brooklyn, NY | 20% | $49,365 | $5,127 | $10,533 | 0.21x |
| 50 | [University of Puerto Rico-Bayamon](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-puerto-rico-bayamon) | Bayamon, PR | 34% | $34,409 | $8,484 | $5,500 | 0.16x |

## Data Sources

- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (https://opportunityinsights.org/data)
- Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- NCES IPEDS

## Citation

CollegeRanker. "Most Affordable Colleges for Human Resources." CollegeRanker.com, 2026-05-31. https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/most-affordable-human-resources

## License

This data summary is provided for informational purposes. Underlying data from federal sources (College Scorecard, IPEDS) is public domain. Opportunity Insights data is available under their data use agreement at https://opportunityinsights.org/data/.