Public Health at Union Adventist University

A projected debt load of $27,000 against first-year earnings around $37,500 creates a manageable starting point, though Nebraska's public health market suggests there may be room for concern. The University of Nebraska at Omaha reports median earnings of $40,021 for its public health graduates—about $2,500 more annually than what similar programs nationally produce. That gap matters when you're carrying this much debt into a field where early career salaries tend to cluster tightly.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72 falls within workable territory for a bachelor's degree, meaning graduates would typically dedicate less than a year's salary to educational debt over the life of repayment. However, peer programs in Nebraska show a median debt of just $21,328, nearly $6,000 less than what Union Adventist students are estimated to borrow. That difference translates to roughly $65 more in monthly loan payments over a standard 10-year term—money that compounds quickly when starting salaries are modest.

For families considering this program, the key question is whether Union Adventist's specific approach to public health education justifies both the higher debt load and potentially lower earnings compared to in-state alternatives. Without actual outcome data for this program, you're betting on similar results to peer institutions while paying more upfront. Nebraska's limited public health job market means every dollar of debt and every percentage point of earning potential matters more than it might in states with deeper employment pipelines.