Public Policy Analysis at Cabrini University

A debt load of $18,375 paired with first-year earnings around $44,740 creates a manageable 0.41 debt-to-earnings ratio—based on comparable programs nationally, this suggests monthly loan payments that shouldn't overwhelm an entry-level budget. However, the more sobering comparison is within Pennsylvania itself, where the state median for public policy bachelor's programs hits $61,592. That $17,000 gap between what similar Pennsylvania programs typically produce and what national peer programs suggest for Cabrini represents a significant earnings disadvantage if you're planning to stay in-state, where cost of living and competition for policy roles may assume higher salaries.

The challenge here is twofold: you're working with estimates derived from a small pool of similar programs nationally (40 for earnings, just 14 for debt), and Cabrini's outcomes may differ substantially from these benchmarks—we simply don't know. Public policy roles often cluster in government hubs and nonprofits where salaries vary widely by location and sector, making the Pennsylvania comparison particularly relevant if your child plans to work in Philadelphia or Harrisburg. The relatively affordable debt estimate helps, but if Pennsylvania's typical outcomes are achievable elsewhere in the state, that gap matters over a career.

If your child is drawn to Cabrini specifically, press the school for concrete placement data—where do their public policy graduates actually work, and what do they earn? Without school-specific outcomes, you're betting on estimates that may not reflect this program's reality, especially when stronger numbers exist at Pennsylvania competitors.