Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions at Kent State University at Salem

Kent State Salem's Allied Health program shows an unusual earnings pattern that deserves careful scrutiny. Graduates start strong at nearly $60,000—performing above Ohio's median for this program—but by year four, incomes drop to $45,388. That's a 24% decline, which is uncommon in healthcare fields where stability and growth are typically the norm.

This trajectory suggests many graduates may be working in contract, seasonal, or part-time healthcare roles rather than securing permanent positions. The positive here is manageable debt: at $31,000, it's about average for Ohio and represents just over half of first-year earnings, making the initial loan payments feasible. The program also ranks in the 60th percentile statewide, meaning it outperforms most similar programs in Ohio despite the earnings decline.

For context, top Ohio programs like Cincinnati and Toledo maintain earnings in the $66,000-$75,000 range, which likely reflects more direct pathways to full-time diagnostic or treatment positions. If your child is considering this program, investigate exactly which allied health roles graduates typically enter and why incomes drop so sharply. The early earnings are promising, but without understanding whether graduates transition to part-time work, change fields, or face other challenges, it's difficult to call this a solid investment even with reasonable debt levels.