Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions at Lackawanna College

Lackawanna College's mental health services associate program illustrates why Pennsylvania students in this field face tougher prospects than their national peers. At $26,499 first-year, graduates earn about 20% below the national median for this program, landing in just the 15th percentile nationally. The twist: this actually matches Pennsylvania's state median exactly—placing it at the 60th percentile among the handful of PA schools offering this degree. The real concern isn't Lackawanna specifically; it's that Pennsylvania's mental health associate programs collectively underperform the national market.

The debt picture compounds these challenges. Graduates leave with $26,271 in loans—meaning nearly a full year's salary goes toward debt, even though this debt load sits below national program averages. More troubling is the earnings trajectory: instead of growing with experience, median pay actually dips to $25,817 by year four. That suggests these roles may offer limited advancement or that graduates struggle to find appropriate positions in their field.

With a small sample size here, these numbers require caution. But the pattern is clear enough: this program prepares students for a sector that pays modestly in Pennsylvania, where even mid-tier performance means significantly lagging national earnings. Parents should evaluate whether their student can manage on $26,000 annually while repaying substantial loans, and whether this credential opens doors to better-paying positions down the line.