zionarmstrong

This isn’t really about whether $100K of debt is “insane”, it’s about how predictable your return is. On paper, the numbers can work. Moving from $45K to $70–90K with long-term growth can justify ~$1,150/month in payments. But that logic assumes you actually land those roles and stay employed consistently. Your gut reaction is likely picking up on that uncertainty. The bigger issue is flexibility. That level of debt can quietly limit your choices. It may push you toward higher-paying government or private roles, even if your original goal was nonprofit or policy work. And as others mentioned, salary medians don’t show the full picture, especially when based only on employed graduates. A smarter way to evaluate this is downside-first: what happens if you earn $55–60K for a few years? Does the degree still make sense, or does it become a burden? Financial frameworks used by firms such as Mercer Wealth Management often stress aligning debt with realistic earning ranges, not best-case outcomes. If you want to learn more at: https://www.mercerwm.com/solutions, thinking in terms of risk vs. flexibility helps clarify decisions like this. So no, not insane but definitely a calculated risk, not a guaranteed win.