Health and Medical Administrative Services at Indiana University-Northwest

With earnings around $38,600 in the first year and debt just over $31,000, Indiana University-Northwest's health administration program delivers a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.81—you'd expect graduates to earn roughly 20% more than they borrowed. However, these numbers trail both national and state medians for this program by about $5,000 annually. Among Indiana's 23 health administration programs, this ranks at the 40th percentile—solidly middle-of-the-pack for the state but below what top programs like Indiana Wesleyan ($50,300) or Purdue Global ($47,600) report.

The real caution here is the small sample size: fewer than 30 graduates reported data, which means a handful of students in unusual circumstances could skew these figures significantly. For a program serving predominantly Pell-eligible students (43% at IU-Northwest), that $31,000 debt burden is substantial even if technically manageable. The university's regional location in Gary and its mission as an access-oriented institution might explain why graduates earn less initially—they may be staying local in a lower-cost-of-living market rather than pursuing higher-paying opportunities in Indianapolis or Chicago.

If your child plans to work in Northwest Indiana and values staying close to home, this program offers reasonable preparation without crushing debt. But families should recognize they're likely accepting a $5,000-10,000 annual earnings discount compared to alternatives within the state, and with the data uncertainty, request more concrete placement and salary information directly from the program.