Health Professions at University of North Carolina Wilmington

UNCW's Health Professions program launches graduates into earnings that crush the national median by nearly 50%, hitting $56,924 in the first year—a figure that puts it in the 95th percentile nationally. That's the kind of outcome that turns a roughly $25,000 investment into one of the better financial decisions available in this field. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.44 means graduates can realistically pay off their loans while building stable careers.

The wrinkle? While these numbers look exceptional compared to the typical health professions program nationwide, they're merely average for North Carolina—landing at exactly the state median and in the 60th percentile among the state's limited options. North Carolina appears to have unusually strong health professions outcomes overall, which means this program isn't offering a special advantage over in-state alternatives. Still, earnings climb 14% by year four, suggesting solid career progression rather than an immediate plateau.

For families comparing schools, this program delivers reliable value—you're getting strong absolute earnings with manageable debt. Just don't expect it to outperform other NC health professions programs. If your child can get into a higher-ranked option within the state, that might be worth exploring, but UNCW provides a dependable path to solid healthcare sector employment without the debt burden that plagues many health-focused degrees.