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Business · Human Resources Rank #158 of 169

Human Resourcesat Mount Mercy University

Graduates earn $48,722/yr in their first year — about 6.0% below the national Human Resources average. Base-case 10-year earnings $526K; scenarios range from $487K to $530K depending on AI disruption.

Cedar Rapids, IA Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
47 AVERAGE
47
Optimistic
41
Pessimistic
Earnings
$48,722
1-year post-graduation
ROI
2.6x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$526K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
54% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Mount Mercy University

First-year earnings of $48,722 track close to the $51,599 national median for Human Resources programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

An earnings multiple of 3.4x means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition, but not by a dramatic margin. Returns are positive but modest.

Some AI exposure exists in Human Resources's typical career paths, with 48% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 8% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $25,982 represents roughly 6 months of the $48,722 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.

Ranked #158 of 169 Human Resources programs, Mount Mercy University falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

Five-year earnings of $55,899 are relatively flat compared to the $48,722 starting salary — typical of fields with stable but capped salary bands.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$487K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score41/100
Earnings Multiple3.1x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$526K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score47/100
Earnings Multiple3.4x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$530K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score47/100
Earnings Multiple3.4x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Mount Mercy University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Human Resources graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Compensation and benefits managers
+0.2% 10-yr growth · 1,500 openings/yr
$140,360/yr
High
2
Human resources managers
+5.0% 10-yr growth · 17,900 openings/yr
$140,030/yr
Moderate
3
Training and development managers
+5.8% 10-yr growth · 3,800 openings/yr
$127,090/yr
High
4
Law teachers, postsecondary
+2.2% 10-yr growth · 2,200 openings/yr
$126,650/yr
Moderate
5
Business teachers, postsecondary
+5.7% 10-yr growth · 8,100 openings/yr
$97,270/yr
Moderate
6
Labor relations specialists
-0.1% 10-yr growth · 5,100 openings/yr
$93,500/yr
High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Human Resources

How Mount Mercy University stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Benedictine University
IL · Private nonprofit
64
DW Score
$83K
1-yr earn
4.7x
ROI
Top score
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
MI · Public
75
DW Score
$83K
1-yr earn
13.5x
ROI
Northwestern University
IL · Private nonprofit
53
DW Score
$82K
1-yr earn
2.1x
ROI
Walsh University
OH · Private nonprofit
56
DW Score
$81K
1-yr earn
4.8x
ROI
Same state (IA)
Waldorf University
IA · Private for-profit
65
DW Score
$78K
1-yr earn
6.5x
ROI
Also at Mount Mercy University

Other top programs at Mount Mercy University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Mount Mercy University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Human Resources offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Human Resources trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Human Resources at Mount Mercy University

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Human Resources at Mount Mercy University?

A score of 47/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Human Resources. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.

Will AI replace Human Resources careers?

With 48% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $486,812 in decade earnings vs $529,869 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.