Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions at Blue Cliff College-Metairie

Blue Cliff College's medical laboratory program shows troubling numbers, but the tiny sample size—fewer than 30 graduates—makes it hard to know if this reflects a genuine program issue or just a few outliers having difficult starts. Still, $18,674 one year after graduation is concerning for any healthcare credential, landing in just the 5th percentile nationally and trailing the Louisiana state median by nearly $5,000.

There's some upside: earnings do climb 38% to $25,671 by year four, and the debt load of $16,043 isn't crushing by itself. But even with that growth, graduates earn less than the state median and roughly $5,000 below comparable programs at Fortis and Unitech locations across Louisiana. The high Pell grant rate (78%) suggests most students here come from low-income backgrounds, making that sluggish earnings start particularly problematic.

Given the small sample and weak performance metrics, this program presents real risk. If your child is interested in medical laboratory work, the Fortis program in Baton Rouge shows graduates earning $29,714—substantially better for a similar credential. Unless Blue Cliff offers significant geographic convenience or other advantages, stronger-performing alternatives exist within Louisiana's lab tech training landscape.