Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions at Chattanooga State Community College

This program launches graduates into strong early earnings—$53,180 ranks in the 80th percentile among Tennessee allied health programs—but then something troubling happens. By year four, median earnings drop to $35,716, a 33% decline that suggests graduates may be moving into lower-paying roles, reducing hours, or leaving the field entirely. This pattern is particularly concerning given that initial earnings only modestly exceed Tennessee's median of $40,825 for similar programs.

The debt picture offers some relief: at $16,760, borrowers face manageable monthly payments relative to that first-year salary, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.32. That's better than the national median debt of $14,167 would suggest, since Chattanooga State graduates earn more initially. However, those payments become significantly harder to manage if earnings follow the typical trajectory downward.

The key question for parents: what's driving that earnings drop? If graduates in this program typically work in physically demanding roles or contract positions with variable hours, the four-year number may better represent long-term reality than the promising starting salary. Before committing, investigate which specific allied health roles graduates enter and whether career advancement opportunities exist to reverse that decline. For families counting on steady income growth to justify the investment, this program's trajectory should raise red flags.