Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions at Coastal Pines Technical College

First-year earnings of $45,656 land this program well below both state and national benchmarks for allied health programs—about $5,000 behind Georgia's median and nearly $9,000 below the national average. What's more concerning is the earnings trajectory: graduates earn less at year four ($39,077) than at year one, a 14% decline that runs counter to typical career progression. While the estimated debt of $15,225 produces a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.33, that calculation relies on first-year earnings that don't appear sustainable.

Georgia has thirty schools offering associate's degrees in allied health diagnostic and treatment fields, and several technical colleges consistently produce stronger outcomes. Graduates from Georgia Northwestern and Oconee Fall Line Technical College, for instance, earn $60,000-plus in their first year—roughly $15,000 more than what Coastal Pines graduates typically see. These aren't marginal differences; they represent significant financial ground that compounds over a career.

For families in the Waycross area, the question becomes whether proximity justifies accepting substantially lower earnings. If relocation is feasible, other Georgia technical colleges offer the same credential level with considerably better economic outcomes. The declining earnings pattern here suggests either credentialing issues, local labor market constraints, or program-specific factors that parents should investigate directly with the school before committing.