Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences at University of Michigan-Flint

The $26,225 first-year earnings from this program are alarmingly low—landing in just the 10th percentile among Michigan health programs and 5th percentile nationally. That's $13,000 below the state median for similar programs and nearly $10,000 below the national average. Even Siena Heights graduates earn twice as much their first year. While the $22,750 debt load seems manageable in absolute terms, it represents almost an entire year's earnings, which will strain any graduate's budget as they struggle to establish themselves financially.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could be skewed by a few outliers, but even accounting for statistical noise, this pattern is deeply concerning. Health sciences graduates typically command decent starting salaries—the field median is $35,000 nationally—which makes these results harder to explain away. This could reflect the specific career paths UM-Flint graduates enter, local wage conditions in Flint, or program structure issues that leave students unprepared for higher-paying roles.

Unless your child has strong ties to Flint or extenuating circumstances that make this the only viable option, the financial risk here is substantial. Starting at $26,000 in a health field severely limits options for loan repayment, emergency savings, and career advancement. Look closely at where these graduates actually work and whether those outcomes align with your family's expectations.