Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences at Carl Albert State College

Carl Albert State College's Allied Health program presents an unusual value equation: earnings that land in the bottom 5% nationally but squarely in the middle for Oklahoma. That gap tells you something important about Oklahoma's healthcare job market, where even the state's best Allied Health associate program (Cameron University at $27,434) falls well below the national median of $32,798.

The positives here are real. At $10,738 in median debt, graduates owe about $4,300 less than the Oklahoma average and emerge with a manageable debt load—less than half their first-year income. The 15% earnings growth to $28,842 by year four suggests graduates find stable footing in the field. For the nearly half of students here receiving Pell grants, this could represent meaningful economic mobility without crushing debt.

The challenge is opportunity cost. That $25,131 starting salary is roughly $7,600 below what similar programs produce nationally, and only about $1,000 above Oklahoma's statewide median. For families who can afford to look beyond state borders, that's a significant earnings gap to consider. But if staying in Oklahoma is the plan anyway—whether for family, cost, or other reasons—Carl Albert delivers typical in-state outcomes with below-average debt. The program works best as an affordable entry point into healthcare for students committed to the region.