Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences at The University of Texas at San Antonio

UTSA's health services program lands graduates in a challenging immediate position—$34,454 is modest for any bachelor's degree—but what happens next matters more. Earnings jump 31% to $45,018 by year four, pushing graduates well above both the Texas median ($32,447) and national average. Among Texas programs, UTSA ranks in the 60th percentile despite serving a predominantly working-class student body (42% on Pell grants), suggesting the program provides genuine upward mobility rather than just credentialing advantages for affluent students.

The $22,500 debt load is below both state and national medians, creating a manageable 0.65 debt-to-earnings ratio that improves quickly as salaries rise. Compare this to programs at Incarnate Word or UT Rio Grande Valley where starting salaries are higher but debt may be steeper. UTSA graduates essentially trade a tougher first year for stronger long-term trajectory.

The real question is whether your child can weather that first year financially. If they're planning to stay in healthcare and can manage living in San Antonio on $34,000 while paying down loans, the numbers work. But if they need immediate earnings or are uncertain about staying in the field, programs with stronger starting salaries might reduce early-career stress, even if the four-year outcomes look similar.