Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions at Aims Community College

Aims Community College's allied health program stands out for one thing: exceptionally low debt. At $10,750, graduates owe less than half the national median and about $12,000 less than the typical Colorado program—a genuine advantage for students who can't afford to carry heavy loan burdens. However, this comes paired with earnings that lag significantly behind both state and national benchmarks.

The earnings gap is substantial. First-year graduates earn $46,643, nearly $11,000 below Colorado's median for this field and roughly $8,000 under the national average. Among Colorado's 18 programs, this ranks in just the 25th percentile—meaning competitors like Red Rocks and Front Range deliver $12,000-$16,000 higher starting salaries. While debt-to-earnings remains manageable at 0.23, the modest 3% earnings growth suggests limited advancement potential in whatever specific allied health roles these graduates enter.

For families prioritizing minimal debt above all else, particularly those concerned about loan default risk, Aims delivers on that front. But if your child can access similar programs at Front Range or Red Rocks—where graduates earn substantially more with only moderately higher debt—those represent materially better investments. The low debt here doesn't fully offset landing in the bottom quarter of Colorado programs for earnings potential.