Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences at Saint Mary's College of California

The $28,344 debt load estimated for this program is manageable by some measures—a 0.71 ratio of debt to first-year earnings sits below the concerning 1:1 threshold—but the broader context reveals limitations. Based on comparable health sciences programs across California, graduates appear to earn around $40,000 in their first year, which roughly matches the state median. However, several California State University campuses report significantly higher outcomes for their graduates, with some breaking $47,000 or more in first-year earnings. Meanwhile, Saint Mary's estimated debt runs about $10,000 above the typical California program in this field.

What complicates the picture here is that we're working entirely with estimates derived from peer programs rather than actual outcomes for Saint Mary's graduates. The small sample sizes that trigger data suppression make it difficult to know whether this private institution's approach produces better or worse results than the state averages suggest. For anxious parents, that uncertainty matters: you're potentially paying private college debt for outcomes that peer programs suggest will be solid but unremarkable, without knowing if Saint Mary's specific strengths in advising, internship connections, or curriculum justify the premium. The debt is serviceable but not trivial, and comparable programs show a wide spread in what graduates actually earn. Before committing, dig into Saint Mary's specific placement rates and career support—those concrete details matter more than state-level estimates can tell you.