Health and Medical Administrative Services at Governors State University

Governors State University's health administration program performs right at the national median for earnings but trails behind what you'd find at other Illinois schools. While first-year earnings of $44,498 nearly match the national benchmark, they fall about $1,700 below the state median—placing this program in just the 40th percentile among Illinois peers. That gap matters when schools like Illinois State and Rasmussen are producing graduates who earn notably more while staying in the same state.

The program's debt picture offers modest relief: at $30,291, graduates borrow slightly less than the national median and reasonably close to Illinois norms. The 0.68 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates earn enough to make payments manageable, though not exceptionally comfortable. Earnings do grow 18% by year four, reaching $52,533, which suggests some career progression. Still, even this four-year figure lags behind what graduates from top Illinois programs earn immediately after graduation.

For families considering this program, understand you're looking at middle-of-the-road outcomes in a state where better options exist at similar or lower price points. The high Pell grant percentage (52%) indicates this serves many students with limited resources, but that doesn't change the arithmetic: if your child has admission offers from Illinois State or other programs on the state's upper tier, those would deliver stronger returns on a similar investment.