Health and Medical Administrative Services at National American University-Rapid City

With more than half its students receiving Pell grants, National American University-Rapid City serves a predominantly working-class population—which makes its $41,890 median debt load particularly concerning. This debt level ranks among the highest 5% nationally for health and medical administrative services programs, nearly double the national median of $23,000. When your first-year graduate earns $28,699, they're facing a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.46, meaning debt exceeds annual income by nearly half. That's a heavy burden for an entry-level administrative role.

The earnings picture offers modest relief: graduates see 20% income growth by year four, reaching $34,494. Within South Dakota's limited market (only 6 schools offer this program), this ranks at the 60th percentile—solidly middle-of-the-pack locally. However, these same earnings land at just the 31st percentile nationally, well below the national median of $31,719 for similar programs.

Here's the bottom line: your child could likely find a more affordable path to similar outcomes. With 864 schools nationwide offering this program and many charging far less debt for comparable or better earnings, the value proposition here is weak. Unless there are compelling location-specific reasons to stay in Rapid City, exploring programs with debt levels closer to the $23,000 national median would put your child in a much stronger financial position after graduation.