Health and Medical Administrative Services at University of Nevada-Las Vegas

UNLV's Health and Medical Administrative Services program offers a rare bright spot in an otherwise challenging picture: graduates carry just $20,300 in debt, roughly $10,000 less than Nevada's median for this field and dramatically below the national figure. That's meaningful given the program's modest starting salary of $40,686, which trails both state and national benchmarks. The manageable debt load keeps the debt-to-earnings ratio at 0.50—not ideal, but workable compared to many healthcare administration programs.

The earnings trajectory shows decent momentum, with graduates reaching $48,322 by year four (a 19% increase), though they remain in the 30th percentile nationally. Compared to the only other in-state option—University of Phoenix-Nevada, where graduates start at $44,580—UNLV students begin about $4,000 behind. However, that gap may narrow over time, and you're paying thousands less in debt to get there.

For Nevada families, especially those who qualify for UNLV's relatively accessible admissions, this program delivers healthcare administration credentials without the debt burden that often accompanies them. Just understand you're trading lower initial earnings for substantially lower financial risk. If your student plans to stay in Nevada's healthcare sector and values graduating with minimal debt, that's a reasonable trade-off—particularly for the 40% of students here on Pell grants who need every dollar of debt reduction they can get.