Health and Medical Administrative Services at Mercy College of Health Sciences

Healthcare administration programs in Iowa typically produce stronger earnings than this program's estimated trajectory suggests. While comparable programs nationally point to first-year earnings around $44,345, Iowa's median for this credential sits notably higher at $48,420—and nearby competitors like Upper Iowa University and Waldorf are placing graduates above $46,900. That gap matters when you're carrying an estimated $33,345 in debt.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.75 based on peer programs looks manageable on paper, but it assumes earnings that may not match Iowa's healthcare job market reality. If graduates from Mercy College track closer to what similar Iowa programs actually deliver (around $48,000), the financial picture improves considerably. However, the suppressed data here means we simply don't know whether this program connects students to the administrative roles that command higher salaries, or whether its graduates are landing in lower-tier positions that pull down the national median.

For parents, the uncertainty cuts both ways. The near-open admission and 34% Pell grant population suggest Mercy serves students who might otherwise struggle to access healthcare careers, which has real value. But without concrete outcomes data, you're essentially betting that a specialized health sciences college in Iowa's capital can match or beat what peer programs deliver—a reasonable bet, perhaps, but still a bet. Press the school directly for graduate placement rates and starting salaries in their network of Des Moines healthcare employers before committing.