Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions at Howard College

Howard College's Allied Health program produces outcomes that sit squarely in the middle of Texas options—graduates earn about $50,500 in their first year, landing at the 60th percentile both statewide and nationally. That's nearly $4,000 above the typical Texas grad in this field. The debt load of just over $12,000 comes in notably lower than state and national medians, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.24—meaning graduates could theoretically pay off their loans with about three months of gross income.

However, the small graduate cohort here is worth noting. When fewer than 30 students complete a program, a few exceptional (or struggling) cases can swing the numbers significantly. The real standout comparison is against other Texas community colleges: Dallas College and Lone Star grads earn $30,000-$35,000 more annually in similar programs, suggesting location and specific allied health specialty matter enormously in this field.

For a West Texas family, this represents a low-risk entry into healthcare with manageable debt. But if your child can access one of the major metro area programs—especially in Dallas or Houston—the earnings ceiling appears substantially higher. The question becomes whether the convenience and lower cost of living in Big Spring offsets the income advantage elsewhere.