Health and Medical Administrative Services at Valparaiso University

With $28,000 in debt against estimated first-year earnings of $43,445, this program's debt burden sits right at the state median for health administration bachelor's degrees in Indiana. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.64 means you're looking at roughly eight months of pre-tax income to cover the total loan balance—manageable, though not exceptional. What's less clear is how Valparaiso's specific program stacks up against Indiana Wesleyan or Purdue Global, which report significantly higher outcomes for their graduates.

The earnings trajectory shows meaningful growth from year one to year four—climbing from an estimated $43,445 to a reported $49,211. That $6,000 jump suggests the degree opens doors to progressively better-paying administrative roles, which is what you want to see. However, comparable programs in Indiana span a wide range, from around $39,000 to over $50,000 in first-year earnings, and without actual outcome data for Valparaiso's graduates, it's difficult to know where they typically land in that spectrum.

The practical takeaway: this program appears to deliver standard economics for health administration degrees in Indiana—reasonable debt against solid mid-career potential. But given the lack of specific graduate outcomes and the presence of clearly higher-performing programs nearby, you'd want to understand what differentiates Valparaiso's curriculum and network before committing. The 92% admission rate suggests accessibility, but for this investment, you need to confirm this particular program delivers on the state's middle-of-the-road promise.