Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions at Clover Park Technical College

First-year earnings of $56,725 put this program well above the national norm for medical lab science associate degrees, landing in the 86th percentile nationally and matching the state median for Washington. That's particularly impressive given that many healthcare technical programs struggle to reach even $50,000 in starting pay. The estimated debt load of roughly $20,000—based on typical borrowing patterns at similar technical colleges—creates a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.35, meaning graduates would owe about one-third of their first-year salary.

The caveat here is that we're working with estimated debt figures since the school's graduate cohort was too small for the Department of Education to publish actual outcomes. Similar programs nationally carry about $25,000 in median debt, so the $20,000 estimate seems reasonable and possibly conservative. What matters more is the strong earnings figure, which is actual reported data and suggests Clover Park's program connects students to Washington's robust healthcare labor market effectively.

For an anxious parent, this looks like a solid technical credential with clear job prospects. The math works: moderate estimated debt against strong starting earnings in a field with consistent demand. The uncertainty around the exact debt figure is less concerning when the career outcomes appear this stable.