Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions at DeVry University-Texas

DeVry University-Texas's lab science program places in the 60th percentile among Texas schools—meaning it beats the state median by nearly $9,000—but that achievement comes at a steep price. Graduates carry $57,500 in debt, more than double the state median of $23,000 and the national median of $26,022. While first-year earnings of $70,874 are strong enough to keep the debt-to-earnings ratio at a manageable 0.81, this is among the highest debt loads you'll find for lab science programs nationwide.

The real concern is stagnation: earnings barely budge over four years, growing just 1% from year one to year four. That's unusual for healthcare careers, which typically reward experience with steady raises. Whether this reflects the program's small sample size (under 30 graduates) or a genuine ceiling is impossible to say, but it suggests graduates aren't seeing the career trajectory they might expect in medical laboratory science. For context, Tarleton State graduates earn similar amounts ($69,675) while carrying typical debt loads under $25,000.

Your child could succeed here—the starting salary is solid—but you'd be betting on their ability to navigate debt payments that are 2.5 times higher than typical for this field. If your family can access state school options with more predictable outcomes, that's likely the safer path.