Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions at Fortis College-Orange Park

This program's first-year earnings of $47,332 trail both the Florida median ($51,608) and national median ($54,327) for allied health associate's degrees—placing it in the bottom third nationally. More concerning is the negative trajectory: earnings actually decline by 7% to $44,018 by year four, which is unusual in healthcare fields where experience typically commands higher pay.

At an estimated $27,000 in debt (based on comparable Florida programs), the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.57 appears manageable on paper. However, that calculation assumes stable earnings, which isn't what these numbers show. For a field where Florida's community colleges routinely produce graduates earning $62,000-$66,000 within a year—substantially more than this program's four-year mark—the gap is significant. The 75% Pell Grant rate suggests most students here are taking financial risks they can't easily absorb if those earnings don't improve.

The declining earnings pattern raises questions about either the specific credentials this program leads to or local market saturation. In healthcare, wages typically rise with experience unless graduates are credentialed for roles with limited advancement potential. Parents should investigate exactly which allied health careers this program prepares students for and whether those specific roles offer stable career paths in the Jacksonville area, particularly given that Florida's community colleges appear to deliver substantially better outcomes in this field.