Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions at George Washington University

George Washington's clinical laboratory science associate program produces graduates earning $40,630 in their first year—about 15% below the national median for this field. While the program ranks in the 60th percentile within DC, that comparison is misleading: GW is the only school in the district offering this associate degree. Against the national field of 341 programs, it falls to just the 5th percentile, meaning 95% of comparable programs deliver higher early earnings.

The relatively low debt of $9,500 provides some cushion, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.23 that's quite manageable. However, this debt figure ranks in the 95th percentile nationally—meaning most programs saddle students with far more debt—which makes the lower earnings harder to justify. Graduates do see 19% earnings growth by year four, reaching $48,194, but that barely catches up to where peers at other programs start. For an associate degree at a selective private university (44% admission rate, 1433 average SAT), these outcomes seem surprisingly modest.

The core issue is straightforward: you're paying GW's tuition for results that lag significantly behind what students achieve at most other clinical lab science programs. Unless there are compelling geographic or personal reasons to attend, families should seriously explore state schools or community colleges with stronger placement records in this field. The low debt helps, but it doesn't offset starting nearly $8,000 behind your national peers.