Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences at Clarke University

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.77 sits in workable territory, but here's the catch: both figures come from national peer programs, not Clarke's actual graduates. Similar bachelor's programs in allied health typically see first-year earnings around $35,000, while Clarke students at this level carry debt near $27,000. That's a manageable monthly payment if those estimates hold, but the lack of reported data makes it impossible to know whether Clarke's specific program connects students to the jobs that justify this investment.

Iowa has nine schools offering this degree, yet none report their outcomes publicly—a red flag when you're trying to compare options. The field itself is broad, encompassing everything from healthcare administration to health informatics, and career trajectories vary dramatically depending on which allied health pathway a student pursues. Some tracks lead to clinical roles with steady advancement; others hit earlier career ceilings.

Before committing, push Clarke's career services office for concrete placement data: which specific jobs do graduates take, at what employers, and at what salaries? If they can't provide that information, you're essentially betting $27,000 that their program performs at least as well as the national average. That might be reasonable if your child has a clear career target within allied health that this program supports—but without verification, it's a leap of faith.