Public Health at Goodwin University

The $40,453 in typical debt at Goodwin sits well above what public health graduates usually face—nationally, the median is $26,000, and even in Connecticut it's $27,000. This puts Goodwin in the 6th percentile nationally for debt burden, meaning 94% of comparable programs leave students with less to repay. That's a significant red flag for a bachelor's degree that, based on national data from similar programs, produces first-year earnings around $37,548. With nearly half of students receiving Pell grants, this debt load could be particularly difficult for families already stretched thin.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.08 means graduates are looking at debt slightly exceeding their entire first-year salary—a manageable but tight situation if those earnings estimates hold. Southern Connecticut State, the only Connecticut public health program with reported data, shows graduates earning $35,797, which suggests the national estimate might be optimistic for Connecticut's job market. If actual outcomes skew closer to Southern's figures, that debt becomes even harder to justify.

For parents, the core question is whether Goodwin's specific strengths—perhaps location, schedule flexibility, or support services—are worth paying roughly $13,000 to $14,000 more in debt than typical for this field. Without actual graduate earnings data from Goodwin itself, you're betting that this program will match or exceed peer outcomes despite charging significantly more upfront.