Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions at Ivy Tech Community College

This certificate program starts graduates at concerning levels: the $23,166 first-year median sits 25% below the national median and a full 43% below Indiana's $40,741 state median. Ranking in just the 10th percentile among Indiana's four programs offering this credential tells you most in-state alternatives deliver significantly better outcomes. For perspective, Indiana University-Indianapolis graduates earn more than double at $58,316. That gap suggests possible differences in curriculum depth, clinical placement quality, or employer recognition.

The debt load of $11,302 looks manageable on paper, but context matters—it represents nearly half a year's starting salary, which creates meaningful strain for entry-level lab technicians. The 31% earnings growth to $30,388 by year four shows some recovery but still leaves graduates well below what peers from other Indiana programs typically earn from day one. The relatively moderate sample size (30-100 graduates) adds some uncertainty, but with four comparable programs in Indiana, the pattern is clear enough.

If your child is committed to lab science work in Indiana, this program requires serious comparison shopping. The combination of below-market starting wages and weak positioning among state options suggests either exploring the stronger programs or considering whether allied health fields with better certificate outcomes might offer similar career satisfaction at lower opportunity cost.