Gerontology at Bowling Green State University-Main Campus

Bowling Green's gerontology program sits in an unusual spot: it ranks in the bottom 5% nationally for earnings, yet lands at the 60th percentile among Ohio programs. This apparent contradiction likely reflects how few schools offer gerontology degrees—just 46 nationwide and only 4 in Ohio—making state rankings less meaningful than they'd be for common majors. The $33,497 starting salary falls about $4,000 below the national median for gerontology graduates, though the 15% earnings growth to $38,561 by year four suggests reasonable career progression in a field focused on eldercare services.

The debt picture is more straightforward: at $27,000, it matches both national and state medians exactly, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.81 that most financial advisors would consider manageable. The real question is whether the relatively modest earnings—starting below $35,000—align with your family's expectations and financial situation. Gerontology typically leads to social work, program coordination, or care management roles rather than high-paying positions.

The small sample size here (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could swing significantly with just a few data points. For a field serving Ohio's aging population, this program offers a viable entry point at moderate debt levels, but families should enter with realistic expectations about starting salaries in social services.