Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions at Community College of Aurora

Looking at comparable allied health programs across Colorado, you'd expect around $57,850 in first-year earnings against roughly $20,750 in debt—a solid 0.36 ratio that beats both state and national benchmarks. Yet there's a puzzling wrinkle in this program's trajectory: fourth-year earnings drop to $47,581, more than $10,000 below where graduates start. While technical data limitations mean we're working with estimates here, this backwards earnings pattern shows up in the actual reported data and suggests either credential stacking elsewhere, career pivots, or part-time work becoming more common as graduates settle into the field.

The debt load appears manageable relative to typical allied health programs in Colorado, where the median sits at $22,896. Combined with those estimated first-year earnings, graduates from similar programs would face annual debt payments representing less than 10% of gross income—well within sustainable territory. The concern isn't whether you can afford the degree, but whether the career progression justifies it when other local community colleges like Red Rocks and Front Range show stronger mid-career outcomes.

Before committing, nail down what specific allied health credential this program actually awards and what licensing it leads to in Colorado. The earnings drop-off might be field-specific rather than school-specific, but you need to understand what happens between years one and four—whether that's typical for this particular healthcare role or a warning sign about limited advancement opportunities.