Health and Medical Administrative Services at National Louis University

National Louis University's Health and Medical Administrative Services program deserves attention for an uncommon strength: remarkable earnings growth. Graduates start at $46,203—squarely at the Illinois median—but four years later they're earning $76,000, a 65% jump that suggests graduates are moving into higher-level administrative roles rather than stagnating in entry positions. Among Illinois programs, this ranks in the 60th percentile for early earnings, but that trajectory matters more than the starting point for many healthcare administration careers.

The $36,305 debt load sits above the state median ($28,162) but remains manageable with a first-year debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.79. Given that 57% of students receive Pell grants, many families here are financing education without family resources, making that debt figure more significant. The moderate sample size means individual circumstances vary, but the earnings pattern appears consistent enough to draw conclusions from.

The practical takeaway: this program works best for students willing to start modestly and build their career over several years. If your child needs strong immediate earnings to handle debt quickly, the top Illinois programs (University of St. Francis at $83,000, Concordia at $65,000) offer better starting positions. But if they can manage that initial period, National Louis graduates are catching up to many peers by year four—a trajectory that may continue into years five through ten.