Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences at South University-Richmond

South University-Richmond's health sciences graduates earn slightly above the national median and match Virginia's state median, but the debt burden tells a different story. At $57,500, graduates leave with more than double the typical debt for this program—both nationally ($26,690) and within Virginia ($27,000). This places the program in the 5th percentile for debt nationally, meaning 95% of similar programs manage to graduate students with less debt.

The 1.57 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates owe roughly 19 months of their first-year salary. While earnings grow to $40,651 by year four—a solid 11% increase—that debt load will take years to overcome. Given that 41% of students here receive Pell grants, many families are taking on this debt without significant financial cushion. The moderate sample size (30-100 graduates) suggests these figures are reasonably reliable, not outliers from a handful of students.

For Virginia families, this is critical: you can access the same or better earnings outcomes at programs with half the debt. Unless this program offers specialized connections or resources that justify the premium, the math doesn't work in your favor. The earnings are adequate, but you're paying luxury prices for middle-of-the-road results.