Public Health at University of Nebraska at Omaha

UNO's Public Health bachelor's beats the national median by nearly $2,500 in first-year earnings and comes with $4,700 less debt than typical programs—but the small graduating cohort (under 30 students) means these numbers could shift significantly year to year. In Nebraska's limited landscape of seven public health programs, this sits right at the state median for both earnings and debt.

The warning sign here is the earnings trajectory: graduates actually earn slightly less four years out than they do immediately after graduation. This likely reflects the reality that entry-level public health roles don't always offer steep salary growth without additional credentials. The debt load, while manageable at about half of first-year earnings, requires careful attention given this flat income path. For a parent, this means your child would need a clear plan for either advancing within their organization or pursuing graduate education (which many public health careers eventually require).

The math works better than it might appear at first glance—lower debt helps offset the modest earnings—but this program makes the most sense for students committed to the public health field and realistic about potentially needing a master's degree down the line. Given the small sample size, I'd verify current placement outcomes directly with UNO's Career Services before making a final decision.