Public Health at South University-Savannah

The $56,262 debt burden here is more than double what's typical for public health graduates both nationally ($26,000) and in Georgia ($27,740). While graduates earn slightly above Georgia's median for this major—placing South University-Savannah in the 60th percentile statewide—that $34,789 starting salary means borrowers face a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.62, far exceeding the 1.0 threshold where repayment becomes challenging.

Context matters: with 72% of students receiving Pell grants, this program serves many first-generation and lower-income students who may have fewer financial safety nets if job placement doesn't go as planned. The moderate sample size suggests these patterns are reasonably reliable. Georgia's public universities—like Kennesaw State ($42,175) and UGA ($39,534)—deliver both higher earnings and dramatically lower debt loads, making them substantially better investments for in-state students.

For families considering this program, the math is straightforward but difficult: you're looking at monthly loan payments around $600-700 on a $35,000 salary, consuming roughly 25% of take-home pay. Unless your student has significant scholarships that bring borrowing well below the median, Georgia's public options offer better financial outcomes. If South University is still the choice, treating that debt number as a hard ceiling—not borrowing more under any circumstances—becomes critical.