Public Health at Bryant & Stratton College-Albany

Bryant & Stratton College-Albany's public health program saddles students with debt levels that are worse than 95% of comparable programs nationwide—$52,060 versus the national median of $26,000—while delivering earnings that place it in the bottom half of New York programs. At $37,548, graduates earn roughly $1,600 less than the state median, and significantly trail public universities like CUNY Hunter College ($47,444) that carry far less debt burden.

The program serves a predominantly low-income population (65% receive Pell grants), but the financial math remains troubling. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.39 and zero earnings growth between year one and year four, graduates face the prospect of managing payments that consume a substantial portion of their income for years. The robust sample size of 100+ graduates confirms this pattern isn't a statistical fluke.

For a parent weighing options in New York, the comparison is stark: similar outcomes are available at institutions charging half the debt. Unless there are compelling personal circumstances—like needing Bryant & Stratton's specific scheduling or support services—the significantly lower debt burden at public alternatives makes them worth serious consideration. This is a case where the total cost of the credential matters more than the credential itself.