Health and Medical Administrative Services at Southwest University at El Paso

This program's $25,851 starting salary falls short of what similar graduates earn across Texas—about $8,400 below the state median and ranking only in the 25th percentile statewide. For context, graduates from San Jacinto Community College in this field earn $39,653, while Tyler Junior College graduates start at $35,225. Nationally, Southwest's outcomes also lag, landing in just the 17th percentile. The $20,000 debt load is slightly below average, but paired with these earnings, it creates a debt-to-income ratio of 0.77—manageable in theory, but challenging when your actual monthly paycheck is substantially smaller than what most Texas healthcare administrators take home.

What's particularly concerning is the complete absence of earnings growth: graduates earn essentially the same amount four years out ($25,712) as they do immediately after finishing. In healthcare administration, where experience typically translates to better-paying supervisory roles, this stagnation suggests limited career mobility. With 79% of students receiving Pell grants, many families here are counting on this degree as an economic ladder—but the numbers suggest it's not delivering upward momentum.

If your child is set on healthcare administration in Texas, explore why other programs achieve notably better outcomes. The $8,400 annual earnings gap between Southwest and the state median compounds dramatically over a career, making this a consequential choice even though the initial debt seems reasonable.