Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences at CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College

CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College's Health Sciences associate program delivers the lowest first-year earnings among all 336 similar programs tracked nationally—graduates earn just $22,909, nearly $10,000 below New York's state median and $10,000 below the national average. Even within New York City's CUNY system, comparable programs at Queensborough Community College post 14% higher earnings. This places graduates well below the poverty line for many household configurations in one of America's most expensive cities.

The program does keep debt extraordinarily low at $6,442 (less than half the state median), which matters for the 57% of students receiving Pell grants. That debt load is manageable even at these depressed wages. However, the fundamental problem isn't affordability—it's that graduates aren't accessing the better-paying health careers that typically justify allied health training. Other New York community colleges, including North Country and Fulton-Montgomery, demonstrate that associate-level health programs can launch careers earning $30,000-$50,000 in first-year wages.

For families considering this program, the critical question is why earnings lag so dramatically. This could reflect the specific health credentials offered, job placement support, or simply New York City's competitive healthcare job market. Before enrolling, students need clarity on what credentials they'll earn and which entry-level positions those credentials actually qualify them for—because this program's outcomes suggest many graduates aren't landing the health sector jobs they expected.