Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions at Kean University

Kean's allied health program tells a cautionary story through its numbers: four years after graduation, median earnings actually *drop* to $48,605—about $6,600 less than the estimated first-year figure based on comparable New Jersey programs. This backward trajectory is unusual and concerning. While the $26,500 debt load sits near the middle nationally, it's harder to justify when earnings don't follow the typical upward arc. Compare this to Rutgers' allied health programs, where graduates earn $72,259—nearly $24,000 more than Kean's four-year mark.

The decline from year one to year four suggests either career stagnation or a mismatch between the credential and available opportunities. Similar programs across New Jersey typically start around $55,000, which should represent a floor, not a ceiling. The fact that Kean graduates appear to lose ground raises questions about whether this bachelor's degree opens the right doors in the allied health field, or whether graduates are underemployed relative to their training. At nearly half a year's salary in debt ($26,500), the financial pressure compounds when income doesn't grow.

Before committing to this program, your child needs concrete answers about what specific allied health roles Kean graduates fill and why their earnings trajectory differs so dramatically from peer institutions. The four-year earnings figure is actual reported data—not an estimate—which makes this pattern particularly troubling and worth understanding before enrollment.