Public Health at Fort Lewis College

Fort Lewis College's Public Health program produces graduates with remarkably low debt—just $14,615, which places it in the 5th percentile nationally for borrowing. That's half the national average and a third less than Colorado's median. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.39 is exceptionally manageable, meaning most graduates could realistically pay off their loans within a couple of years.

The challenge? First-year earnings of $37,498 sit at the national median but trail other Colorado programs by about $3,000, and they actually decline to $34,000 by year four. With only three public health programs in the state, comparisons are limited, but graduates from Colorado State earn 40% more right out of the gate. The small sample size here (under 30 graduates) means a few outliers could be skewing these numbers significantly—perhaps some graduates pursue lower-paying service positions or graduate work immediately after graduation.

For Colorado families, this becomes a straightforward cost-benefit calculation. Your child would leave with minimal debt from a school that serves a large proportion of first-generation and lower-income students (36% receive Pell grants). If the goal is entering public health work without financial burden, this delivers. If maximizing early-career earnings matters more, the larger Colorado programs justify their higher costs. Just recognize these numbers may not reflect your child's actual outcome given the limited data.