Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions at Lamar Institute of Technology

Lamar Institute of Technology graduates from this allied health program earn roughly $10,000 less annually than the typical Texas graduate in the same field—landing in just the 25th percentile statewide. While debt is manageable at about $15,300, first-year earnings of $44,255 trail both the state median ($55,965) and national average ($54,327) by meaningful margins. When neighboring Texas community colleges like Hill College and South Texas College are placing similar graduates into jobs earning $68,000-$78,000, that gap matters.

The positive here is affordability: the debt load is lower than state and national averages, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.35 that keeps monthly payments reasonable. Earnings do grow 6% over four years, reaching nearly $47,000, which suggests some career progression. But graduates are starting from a lower baseline, and the modest growth doesn't close the gap with peers from other Texas programs.

For families weighing this investment, the question comes down to alternatives. If Lamar is the only nearby option or offers specific program strengths in a particular allied health specialty, the manageable debt provides a safety net. But if you can access one of the higher-performing Texas programs without significantly higher costs, the earnings difference—potentially $20,000+ annually—would justify the effort to explore those options.