Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions at Horry-Georgetown Technical College

The most troubling aspect of Horry-Georgetown Technical College's allied health program isn't the initial earnings—it's the dramatic reversal that follows. Graduates start at $51,730, roughly on par with South Carolina's median for this field, but by year four their earnings drop to $42,697. That's a 17% decline when you'd expect career growth. This pattern suggests graduates may struggle to advance into stable, full-time positions or face limited opportunities in the Conway area's healthcare market.

The debt picture compounds these concerns. At $38,540, graduates carry more than double both the national median ($19,113) and state median ($18,739) for this program—placing them in the 95th percentile for debt nationally. With first-year earnings at a 0.75 debt-to-earnings ratio, repayment is manageable initially, but that window closes quickly as income drops. Compare this to Aiken Technical or Greenville Technical, where graduates earn $59,000-$62,000 without necessarily carrying more debt.

For parents, this is a clear case where location matters enormously. If your child can attend one of South Carolina's stronger allied health programs—particularly those in the Upstate region—they'll likely earn $10,000-$15,000 more annually while avoiding the earnings decline pattern seen here. Unless geographic constraints make Horry-Georgetown the only option, the combination of high debt and backward earnings trajectory makes this a risky investment.