Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions at Eastern Kentucky University

Eastern Kentucky University's Clinical Laboratory Science program produces graduates earning nearly $56,000 straight out of school—a respectable middle-of-the-pack outcome for Kentucky, landing at the 40th percentile statewide. However, that same salary falls to the 11th percentile nationally, meaning graduates are earning roughly $9,000 less than the national median for this field. Given that clinical lab science salaries tend to be fairly standardized across healthcare systems, this gap suggests Kentucky's lower cost of living may be the primary factor, not program quality.

The debt picture is reasonable: $25,000 produces a manageable 0.45 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates could theoretically pay off loans in about six months of gross income. This is lower than the national median debt for the program, which helps offset the earnings disadvantage. For students planning to stay in Kentucky or rural areas where lab technologist positions are steady and in demand, this becomes more attractive than the raw numbers suggest.

The critical caveat here is sample size—with fewer than 30 graduates in the dataset, one or two career paths could skew these numbers significantly. If your child is considering this program, the biggest question isn't whether the degree pays off (it likely does), but whether they're comfortable building a healthcare career in Kentucky's market rather than pursuing potentially higher-paying opportunities in larger metropolitan areas elsewhere.