Public Health at Lourdes University

A bachelor's in public health from Lourdes appears positioned right at the state median based on similar Ohio programs, with estimated first-year earnings around $37,900 and debt near $27,000. That 0.71 debt-to-earnings ratio falls within manageable territory—graduates would owe roughly three-quarters of their first year's salary, which isn't alarming for a healthcare-adjacent field. However, it's worth noting that top public health programs in Ohio, like Bowling Green, report outcomes nearly $10,000 higher, suggesting the field rewards institutional reputation or perhaps offers better placement networks at larger universities.

The challenge with public health bachelor's degrees generally is that many positions requiring this credential don't pay dramatically above what you'd earn with less education. At $37,900, graduates land close to the national median for this major, but they're also taking on debt that will require careful budgeting in those early career years. Public health careers often demand graduate education for advancement, so families should factor in whether this bachelor's degree is a stopping point or a stepping stone—and whether accumulating undergraduate debt now will complicate financing a master's later.

Given the estimation uncertainty and the $10,000 gap between median and top-performing Ohio programs, I'd want to understand what makes Lourdes's public health curriculum distinctive and whether their career services actively connect students to local health departments or healthcare systems where alumni have found success.