Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions at College of Lake County

The estimated $12,262 in debt from comparable Illinois programs positions this Allied Health program as an affordable entry point, though the earnings trajectory tells a more complicated story. First-year earnings of $50,103 fall noticeably below what similar programs across Illinois typically produce—about $3,800 less than the state median—and the gap widens significantly when comparing against nearby community colleges like Harper ($65,443) and College of DuPage ($62,471). The debt-to-earnings ratio looks manageable at 0.24, but that calculation depends heavily on whether this specific program's actual outcomes align with the statewide estimates.

The challenge is that we're working with limited visibility here. The debt figure comes from peer programs across Illinois, not College of Lake County's actual graduates, making it difficult to assess whether students here face higher borrowing needs or benefit from stronger aid packages. What we do know is that earnings at this program sit in the bottom half compared to other Illinois schools, suggesting graduates may be entering less specialized or lower-paying positions within allied health fields. For a parent weighing this against options like Harper or DuPage within the same region, that $10,000-15,000 annual earnings gap represents real money.

If College of Lake County offers specific advantages—proximity, acceptance rates, or direct pathways to employers—those factors could outweigh the earnings difference. But absent additional program details, the moderate debt estimate doesn't fully compensate for lagging behind peer schools in a competitive Illinois market.