Health/Medical Preparatory Programs at University of Dayton

The striking detail about University of Dayton's Health/Medical Preparatory program is the dramatic earnings jump—from $20,263 to $61,398 over four years. This pattern reveals something crucial: graduates typically aren't working in their intended field immediately after graduation. The first-year figure likely reflects gap-year jobs or short-term positions while students apply to medical, dental, or other professional schools. By year four, many have either entered graduate programs or pivoted into healthcare careers, producing earnings that actually exceed the national median for this major.

However, the low rankings tell a different story about the immediate value. At the 10th percentile statewide, University of Dayton trails programs at Kent State ($41,924) and Ohio State ($39,642) by substantial margins in first-year outcomes. The $24,794 debt load isn't unusual for this field, but paired with that initial $20,000 salary, it creates a challenging first few years. For students pursuing graduate school afterward, this debt becomes a base amount on top of professional school loans.

This program makes sense primarily for students who are genuinely committed to continuing education in healthcare—and whose families can support them during that transition year. If your child needs to start earning immediately after graduation, or if they're uncertain about graduate school, other Ohio programs offer more immediate earning power with similar debt levels.