Health and Medical Administrative Services at Illinois College

Similar healthcare administration programs in Illinois produce first-year earnings around $46,200, which puts this field solidly in the middle of the pack for bachelor's degrees. The estimated $28,000 in debt is actually slightly below both state and national medians for this major, creating a manageable 0.61 debt-to-earnings ratio. That means graduates could reasonably tackle their student loans on an entry-level salary in medical office management or healthcare operations.

The challenge is that Illinois College operates in a competitive healthcare education market where outcomes vary dramatically. Top programs in the state—particularly at University of St. Francis and Concordia—report graduates earning $65,000 to $83,000 in their first year, nearly double what typical programs produce. Whether these outliers represent special program features, geographic advantages in Chicago's healthcare market, or stronger employer networks isn't clear from the data alone.

For families weighing this investment, the baseline economics work: comparable debt levels and earnings suggest graduates can manage repayment while building healthcare administration careers. But if your student has the academic credentials for more competitive programs (Illinois College's 75% admission rate and 1082 average SAT suggest accessible entry), it's worth investigating whether schools with demonstrated higher outcomes are within reach. The difference between $46,000 and $65,000 in starting salary compounds significantly over a career.