Health and Medical Administrative Services at Coastal Carolina University

The small sample size here is the elephant in the room—with fewer than 30 graduates, a couple of outliers could be skewing these numbers significantly. That said, the data we have paints a picture of below-average outcomes compared to healthcare administration programs nationally, though the program performs solidly within South Carolina's competitive landscape.

Coastal Carolina graduates earn about $8,000 less than the national median for this degree, landing in just the 5th percentile nationally. However, context matters: they're actually outperforming 60% of South Carolina programs, earning slightly above the state median of $35,048. The debt load of $41,666 is concerning—about $10,000 above the national median—but it's actually typical for South Carolina programs in this field. The 1.14 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates are borrowing slightly more than their first year's salary, which is manageable but not comfortable.

The real question is whether this degree justifies its cost when healthcare administration roles often accept candidates with associate degrees or relevant work experience. At around $36,500 in starting salary, graduates face a longer payback timeline than ideal. If your child is set on this field and wants to stay in South Carolina, Coastal Carolina is a middle-of-the-pack option, but South University-Columbia's graduates earn $3,000 more annually. Given the limited sample size, I'd want to see employment outcomes and talk to recent alumni before committing.