Health and Medical Administrative Services at Samford University

With estimated first-year earnings of $40,285 and debt around $33,345, this program lands right at Alabama's median for health administration bachelor's degrees—but that's based on comparable programs across the state, not Samford's actual graduate outcomes. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.83 suggests graduates would need roughly 10 months of gross income to cover their loans, which is manageable compared to many bachelor's programs. However, the earnings estimate sits about $4,000 below the national median of $44,345, reflecting Alabama's lower healthcare administration salaries overall.

The real concern is that peer programs in Alabama show considerable variation. Columbia Southern grads earn nearly $12,000 more in their first year than the state median, while other programs cluster closer to Samford's projected range. Without Samford's actual placement data, you can't know whether this program performs like Auburn (slightly above state median) or tracks closer to the lower performers. The relatively low Pell grant percentage (11%) suggests Samford serves primarily middle- and upper-income students who may have family support beyond what loan figures reveal.

For a family paying private university tuition, the uncertainty matters. If your child is drawn to healthcare administration specifically and Samford's environment fits, the estimated debt load isn't catastrophic. But given the wide range among Alabama programs, you should press the school for concrete placement data—where do their graduates actually work, and what do they earn?