Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College

Cincinnati State's laboratory science program punches well above its weight—graduates earn $59,337 in their first year, roughly $13,000 more than the Ohio median and $11,000 above the national average for this degree. That places this program in the 80th percentile statewide and 95th percentile nationally, outperforming nearly every comparable associate program in the state. The $19,388 in typical debt is also lower than both state and national medians, giving graduates a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.33.

The earnings picture becomes less straightforward after year one, with salaries dipping to $56,121 by year four—a 5% decline that's unusual for healthcare credentials. This could reflect graduates moving into different roles, switching employers, or simply the volatility that comes with tracking a small cohort (under 30 graduates in this dataset). Still, even at the four-year mark, earnings remain well above what most Ohio laboratory science programs deliver at any point.

For families, this represents a strong return on a modest investment, particularly for students who can enter Cincinnati's healthcare market immediately. The declining earnings pattern warrants attention during program research, but the combination of low debt and high starting pay makes this one of the better laboratory science pathways in the state.