Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions at American Institute-Toms River

The three-times-higher debt is the critical issue here. While American Institute-Toms River's graduates earn decently—matching the New Jersey median at $51,318 and landing in the 60th percentile statewide—they're carrying $42,849 in debt for a certificate program. That's more than double what students at other New Jersey schools typically borrow for the same credential. Bergen Community College graduates, for instance, earn more ($56,999) while presumably taking on far less debt as a community college option.

The earnings trajectory is solid, with nearly 9% growth to $55,956 by year four, but that can't overcome the fundamental math problem. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.83, graduates are facing nearly a full year's salary in loans—this should be closer to 0.3 or 0.4 for a certificate program at a public institution. The high Pell grant percentage (78%) suggests many students here have limited financial resources to begin with, making this debt burden particularly concerning.

For a family weighing options, Bergen Community College or even the American Institute locations in Clifton offer comparable or better earnings without this debt load. Unless there's a compelling geographic or scheduling reason to choose Toms River specifically, the financial case is hard to make when lower-cost alternatives deliver similar career outcomes.