Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions at College of Southern Idaho

This certificate program costs $9,625 in debt—lower than most allied health programs nationally—but earnings estimates based on national peer programs put first-year income around $46,000. Here's the disconnect: that figure comes from 264 programs across the country, while the one Idaho program with actual reported data shows graduates earning $86,597. That's nearly double what this national benchmark suggests, and it points to either significantly stronger outcomes in Idaho's healthcare labor market or variation in which specific allied health specialties different schools emphasize.

The debt load itself is manageable, representing just three months of estimated earnings. But relying on a national median when the single comparable Idaho program reports such dramatically higher earnings creates real uncertainty about what CSI graduates actually experience. If this program trains students for roles similar to those at College of Eastern Idaho and places them in Idaho's market, the returns could be substantially better than the estimate suggests. Conversely, if the program focuses on lower-paid specialties or struggles with placement, the national figure might be closer to reality.

Push the school for placement rates and actual starting salaries for recent graduates in this specific program. Without knowing which allied health roles this certificate prepares students for and where they typically work afterward, you're making a financial decision based on a nationwide average that may have little bearing on your child's actual prospects.