Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences at Ashland Community and Technical College

The small sample size here demands caution, but the earnings gap is too large to ignore. First-year graduates from this program earn $22,631—about $7,500 below the Kentucky median for allied health programs and nearly $10,000 under the national benchmark. Even among Kentucky's 12 allied health programs, this ranks in just the 25th percentile. Jefferson Community and Technical College, also in the state system, reports nearly double these earnings for similar credentials.

The $11,062 debt load sits right at Kentucky's median, making the 0.49 debt-to-earnings ratio manageable compared to many programs. But that ratio only looks reasonable because both the debt and earnings are low. The real concern is absolute earning power: $22,631 annually leaves little margin for financial security, especially for a healthcare field where associate degree holders typically command better wages. With 43% of students receiving Pell grants, many graduates here may struggle to establish stable financial footing on these entry-level wages.

If your student is committed to allied health in Kentucky, compare outcomes carefully across campuses. The $20,000+ earnings difference between schools suggests program quality or local job market factors matter significantly. Before enrolling, understand specifically which roles graduates enter and why earnings lag so far behind peer institutions.