Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences at Purdue University Northwest

The first-year earnings here lag behind what other Indiana health sciences programs deliver. At $33,944, graduates earn about $2,500 less than the state median and trail the top Indiana programs—Ball State and Purdue Global—by roughly $7,000 to $8,000. Even within Indiana's 13 programs offering this degree, Purdue Northwest ranks in just the 40th percentile. For a health-related field where students typically expect strong immediate returns, these numbers fall short of regional competition.

The debt picture looks reasonable at $26,500, creating a manageable 0.78 ratio to first-year earnings. However, that alone doesn't overcome the earnings gap. When neighboring programs produce graduates earning $5,000-$8,000 more annually with similar debt loads, the math favors looking elsewhere. The 71% admission rate and moderate SAT scores suggest accessibility, but accessibility matters less if the financial outcome lags peer institutions.

The critical caveat: this data reflects fewer than 30 graduates, so these numbers could shift dramatically with a larger sample. Still, unless this program offers specific geographic advantages or clinical connections in Northwest Indiana that justify lower earnings, families should seriously compare it to Ball State or University of Saint Francis, where graduates start their careers with substantially higher paychecks for essentially the same upfront cost.