Health Professions at Purdue University-Main Campus

Purdue's Health Professions program shows something you don't often see: earnings that jump 46% by year four, climbing from $47,570 to nearly $70,000. That trajectory matters more than the modest starting salary suggests. While first-year graduates earn slightly above the national median for this degree, they're catching up fast—outpacing the typical health professions graduate who started ahead of them. The debt load of $23,538 is reasonable, creating a manageable 0.49 debt-to-earnings ratio that improves dramatically as those salaries climb.

Within Indiana, this program sits at the state median for both earnings and debt, though context is limited since only two schools offer this major in-state. Nationally, it ranks in the 74th percentile for earnings—solidly above average but not exceptional. The real appeal here is momentum: four years out, these graduates are pulling down $22,000 more annually than when they started, suggesting they're landing roles with genuine advancement potential rather than hitting an early ceiling.

For families weighing this option, the combination of controlled debt and strong earnings growth makes this a defensible choice. Your child isn't overpaying for credentials, and the career runway appears clear. Just recognize that first-year budgets will be tighter than some health professions tracks that start higher out of the gate.