Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions at Indiana University-Indianapolis

IU Indianapolis graduates in clinical laboratory science start with promising earnings of $70,833—well above the national median and tied for the top spot among Indiana's 15 programs. However, the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these figures deserve extra scrutiny, and the unusual earnings trajectory raises questions. By year four, median earnings drop to $64,144, a 9% decline that's atypical for healthcare fields and suggests either career transitions, geographic moves, or just the statistical noise that comes with tracking a handful of graduates.

The debt picture looks reasonable at $23,250, below both national and state medians for this major. That translates to a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.33, meaning graduates owe about four months of their starting salary. For a field that typically offers stable employment in hospitals and diagnostic labs, this level of borrowing shouldn't create financial strain—assuming earnings stabilize rather than continue declining.

The key concern is what's driving that earnings drop. With such a small cohort, even a few graduates pursuing advanced education, relocating to lower-cost areas, or shifting to part-time work could skew the numbers significantly. If your child is genuinely interested in laboratory medicine and wants an accessible entry point (81% admission rate), IU Indianapolis delivers solid starting outcomes. Just recognize that the long-term earnings picture here is cloudier than the strong first-year numbers suggest.