Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences at University of Southern California

USC's $28,000 debt estimate for this health sciences bachelor's comes from just four comparable private programs in California—a thin data set that should prompt caution. While that debt level isn't catastrophic, the estimated $40,000 first-year earnings figure raises questions about value at one of the nation's most selective universities. Those earnings match the California state median for health sciences programs, meaning graduates might earn roughly what they'd make coming from far less expensive CSU campuses.

The comparison gets sharper when you look at actual outcomes elsewhere in the state. San Francisco State and several CSU campuses report first-year earnings in the mid-to-high $40,000s for their health sciences graduates, often with lower debt loads. That suggests USC's premium tuition isn't translating into a premium outcome in this particular field—at least based on what similar California programs produce. The 0.71 debt-to-earnings ratio isn't alarming, but it's not impressive either when you're paying private school prices.

If your child is set on health sciences at USC, understand you're likely paying for the university's broader reputation and network rather than field-specific earning power. The small sample size means actual outcomes could differ substantially from these estimates. Before committing, get specific data from USC about where this program's graduates actually work and what they earn—and be prepared to compare those figures honestly against what state schools offer for a fraction of the cost.