Public Health at University of North Dakota

Based on comparable public health bachelor's programs nationwide, first-year earnings around $37,500 fall right at the national median—this is a field where outcomes cluster tightly, with even top-performing programs only reaching about $42,000. The estimated $24,000 in debt sits slightly below the national typical figure of $26,000, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.64 that's manageable by most standards. What matters here is that public health careers often require graduate education for significant advancement, so these bachelor's-level figures may represent a starting point rather than a career trajectory.

The challenge with UND's program is that we're working entirely from national estimates rather than actual graduate outcomes, making it harder to know whether this specific program outperforms or underperforms its peers. The one other North Dakota program with reported data shows $35,433 in earnings but carries substantially higher debt at $40,809, which would create a far less favorable financial picture. If UND's actual outcomes mirror the national pattern with debt closer to the estimated $24,000, that's a meaningful advantage.

For parents, the key question is whether your child plans to enter the workforce immediately or pursue a master's degree. If graduate school is likely, keeping undergraduate debt low becomes critical—and an estimated $24,000 total is reasonable for that path. If workforce entry is the goal, understand that $37,500 represents a modest but stable starting point in a field where passion often drives career choice more than compensation.