Health Professions at Bowling Green State University-Main Campus

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.44 suggests manageable borrowing for this associate's degree, though the entire picture here relies on estimates drawn from peer health professions programs nationwide. With first-year earnings around $35,000 and debt under $16,000—both derived from similar programs elsewhere—graduates would theoretically face monthly loan payments of roughly $175 on a standard repayment plan, consuming about 6% of gross income. That's a workable starting point if these estimates hold true.

The challenge is that health professions is an umbrella category covering everything from dental hygienists earning $70,000 to medical assistants making $32,000. Without knowing which specific track BGSU's associate program emphasizes, it's difficult to gauge whether $35,000 represents a realistic outcome. Ohio's median for health professions associates sits slightly lower at $34,000, and the single Ohio program with reported data matches that figure—suggesting the national estimate may be optimistic but not wildly off-base.

For parents, the key question is whether your student has a clear career target within health professions. If they're pursuing a specific licensure or certification with known salary ranges in Ohio, verify those numbers independently. The estimated debt load is reasonable, but only if the actual earnings trajectory aligns with what comparable programs deliver—and at this program size, there's simply no graduate-specific data to confirm that yet.