Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions at Idaho State University

Idaho State University's allied health diagnostic program shows an unusual pattern that deserves scrutiny: graduates start strong with $62,226 in first-year earnings—well above both the national median ($54,327) and other Idaho programs—but see those earnings drop 21% by year four to $49,384. This decline is significant enough to drop them below the four-year performance of College of Southern Idaho graduates, who maintain steadier trajectories. While the program ranks in the 60th percentile among Idaho allied health programs initially, that advantage appears temporary.

The debt picture adds complexity. At $27,985, graduates carry notably more debt than the state median ($16,378) and even the national average ($19,113). However, the strong first-year earnings keep the debt-to-earnings ratio reasonable at 0.45, meaning graduates earn roughly $2.20 for every dollar of debt—manageable by most standards, at least initially.

The key question is what drives the earnings decline: are graduates switching to different roles, working fewer hours, or hitting a ceiling in their specific allied health specialty? For an associate's degree that costs more than competitors, you'd want confidence that your child's earnings will hold steady or grow. The College of Southern Idaho offers comparable outcomes with substantially less debt, making it worth a close look for Idaho families prioritizing financial stability over ISU's potentially higher starting salary.