Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions at Concorde Career College-San Diego

Concorde Career College-San Diego's allied health program shows a troubling earnings trajectory that should concern any parent evaluating this investment. While graduates start at $50,000—just slightly below the national median—their earnings drop 22% to under $40,000 by year four. This reverse earning pattern is unusual in healthcare fields and raises questions about job stability or credential limitations.

The program's weakness becomes stark when compared to California alternatives. At the 25th percentile statewide, it trails the state median by over $23,000 annually—a massive gap considering California's community colleges produce allied health graduates earning $80,000 to $107,000 within four years. Even the $20,000 debt load, while reasonable in absolute terms, looks less appealing when graduates are earning $15,000 less than typical California peers in the same field. The 94% admission rate and 57% Pell Grant population suggest this for-profit institution serves students who may have fewer options, but that doesn't justify outcomes significantly below what nearby public institutions deliver.

For a parent considering this program, the math is clear: nearly every California community college with this program produces better outcomes, often dramatically so. Unless geographic constraints make those alternatives genuinely inaccessible, this program's combination of below-average starting salaries and declining earnings makes it difficult to recommend over public alternatives that cost less and deliver substantially more.