Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions at Hutchinson Community College

Hutchinson Community College's allied health program starts strong with first-year earnings of $54,878—above both the national and Kansas medians—but something worth noting is the earnings dip to $52,210 by year four. This backward slide of 5% is unusual for healthcare programs, which typically see steady wage growth as graduates gain experience and additional certifications.

The financial fundamentals look solid: at $21,917, the debt load sits comfortably below average (35th percentile nationally), creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.40 that most families would consider manageable. Among Kansas's 23 allied health programs, this one ranks in the 60th percentile for earnings, placing it in the upper half but well behind leaders like Kansas City Kansas Community College ($61,810) and Johnson County Community College ($57,656). That gap—roughly $5,000 to $7,000 annually—compounds significantly over a career.

The real question is what's driving the earnings decline. It could reflect graduates moving into different roles, working reduced hours, or geographic wage differences in Kansas. For families comfortable with strong initial earnings and reasonable debt, this program delivers quick workforce entry at a fair price. But if you're banking on steady career progression, understand that the trajectory here isn't following the typical healthcare upward curve—at least not in the first four years.