Health and Medical Administrative Services at Thomas Jefferson University

Thomas Jefferson's Health and Medical Administrative Services program underperforms dramatically within Pennsylvania. First-year earnings of $39,814 fall $13,683 below the state median of $53,497—landing in the bottom quartile of PA programs. This gap is striking: comparable programs at Elizabethtown deliver graduates earning more than double, while even University of Pittsburgh branches exceed Jefferson by $16,000. For a program in Philadelphia's robust healthcare market, these outcomes suggest structural issues with curriculum relevance or career placement support.

The debt burden compounds the problem. At $37,024, graduates carry $8,774 more than the typical PA program in this field, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.93 that requires nearly a full year's salary to repay. While Thomas Jefferson's reputation in health sciences might suggest strong industry connections, this program's graduates aren't capturing that advantage in their starting compensation—they're earning less than the national median ($44,345) despite paying above-national debt loads.

The critical caveat: this data reflects fewer than 30 graduates, making these numbers potentially volatile. Still, ranking 25th percentile both statewide and nationally creates a pattern too consistent to ignore. Unless you have specific knowledge about career paths this program uniquely enables, Pennsylvania families should examine why graduates from University of Pittsburgh or Immaculata—programs with comparable accessibility—launch careers with 40-50% higher earnings.