Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions at Austin Peay State University

Austin Peay State's allied health program produces earnings that lag both national and Tennessee standards, though the debt load is manageable. While first-year earnings of $47,809 are roughly in line with the state median, they fall significantly short of the $60,447 national median—placing this program in just the 25th percentile nationally. Even within Tennessee, where allied health programs generally earn less than the national average, Austin Peay ranks only at the 40th percentile, trailing options like Baptist Health Sciences University ($57,633) and Tennessee State ($48,894).

The silver lining is that student debt remains reasonable at $25,500, matching Tennessee's median and staying below the national figure. This creates a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.53—not alarming, but not particularly advantageous either. Graduates can expect to earn less than twice their debt load in the first year, which means loan repayment will require discipline but shouldn't be crushing.

For families considering this program, understand you're paying for access rather than competitive positioning. With a 96% admission rate and nearly half the students on Pell grants, Austin Peay serves students who might have limited options, but the earnings data suggests graduates aren't gaining much career advantage over peers at comparable Tennessee schools. If your child can access programs at Baptist Health Sciences or Tennessee State, those offer noticeably better returns.