Educational Administration and Supervision at Purdue University Global

Purdue University Global's Educational Administration bachelor's faces a challenging math problem: graduates earn $32,527 in their first year while carrying $44,436 in debt—a 1.37 debt-to-earnings ratio that means owing more than an entire year's salary. While this places the program at the 60th percentile within Indiana, that's only because Indiana has just one school offering this bachelor's (making it both the best and worst in-state option). Nationally, it ranks in the bottom 5% for earnings, with graduates making $5,000 less than the national median of $37,480.

The debt burden is particularly concerning. At $44,436, it's roughly $13,000 above the national median for this degree and sits in the 5th percentile nationally—meaning 95% of similar programs leave students with less debt. For a field that typically leads to education careers with modest starting salaries, this debt load creates genuine financial strain. Nearly half of students here receive Pell grants, suggesting many come from families with limited financial resources to help manage this debt.

If your child is set on educational leadership, this bachelor's degree represents an expensive entry point into a field where graduate credentials typically matter more. Consider whether a less expensive undergraduate route—perhaps at a state school—followed by a targeted master's program would serve them better financially while still opening doors in education administration.