Health and Medical Administrative Services at University of Washington-Seattle Campus

University of Washington-Seattle's health administration program manages to combine two things parents rarely find together: significantly below-average debt and above-average earnings. At $15,000 in loans—half the national median for this field—graduates start with a financial cushion that lets them actually build wealth rather than just service debt. First-year earnings of $49,866 land in the 72nd percentile nationally, meaning this program outperforms nearly three-quarters of similar programs across the country.

The earnings trajectory strengthens the value case. That 27% jump to $63,245 by year four suggests graduates are gaining marketable skills that healthcare employers reward. While the program ranks 60th percentile within Washington state—behind Bellevue College's standout $71,572 median but well ahead of Eastern Washington—the debt advantage matters more than the earnings gap. A UW graduate carries $15,000 in debt versus the state median of $16,293, while Bellevue's debt picture isn't available for comparison.

The 0.30 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates owe just 30 cents for every dollar they earn in year one, well below the 1:1 threshold that signals financial stress. For a parent evaluating healthcare administration programs, UW-Seattle offers a rare combination: a respected flagship university degree that doesn't saddle your child with burdensome debt while positioning them solidly above the national median for career earnings.