Health and Medical Administrative Services at South University-Tampa

South University-Tampa charges nearly twice the debt burden of similar programs nationwide while delivering below-average starting earnings of about $40,000. The $55,123 in median debt puts graduates in the bottom 5% nationally for borrowing—an alarming figure when those same graduates earn at the 25th percentile compared to peers across the country. Within Florida, the picture shows why debt matters more than earnings alone: while this program's salary matches the state median, graduates from Barry University start at $62,000 and those from Rasmussen or DeVry earn $43,000-$46,000, all with significantly less debt.

The near-flat earnings trajectory from year one to year four suggests limited career advancement, leaving graduates paying down this debt on essentially the same salary they started with. Nearly half of students here receive Pell grants, meaning the families who can least afford heavy debt loads are taking on some of the highest borrowing in healthcare administration education. Compare this to Santa Fe College graduates who earn $42,500 with likely far lower debt, or look at any of the five Florida programs that outperform South University-Tampa on earnings.

The numbers reveal a straightforward affordability problem. Your child could access similar or better earnings outcomes at multiple Florida institutions without shouldering debt that equals 140% of their first-year salary. Unless significant scholarship money changes this debt picture dramatically, exploring alternatives makes financial sense.