Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions at Eastern Maine Community College

Eastern Maine Community College's allied health diagnostic program offers a relatively affordable entry into healthcare, but graduates earn less than peers at competing Maine schools. With just $14,228 in typical debt and first-year earnings around $57,825, the immediate financial picture looks manageable—you're looking at a debt load equal to about three months of salary. That's better than most allied health programs nationally, where students typically graduate owing $19,113.

The complication is Maine-specific performance. While these earnings beat the national median by about $3,500, they fall below Maine's state median of $58,702 and trail notably behind Southern Maine Community College ($64,549) and Maine College of Health Professions ($59,579). That 40th percentile state ranking suggests this program isn't placing graduates in the highest-paying specialties or clinical settings within the state's healthcare market.

The small cohort size (under 30 graduates) makes these numbers somewhat unstable year-to-year, so they may not perfectly predict your child's outcome. Still, for a family prioritizing low debt and acceptable starting pay, this program delivers on the first count while leaving something to be desired on the second. If your child can access one of the stronger-performing Maine programs nearby, the $7,000-$10,000 earnings advantage could be worth investigating.