Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions at Laurel Technical Institute

Laurel Technical Institute's Allied Health program keeps debt low—really low. At just over $25,000, graduates carry about 30% less debt than typical Pennsylvania students in this field, which helps offset first-year earnings that fall slightly below the national median. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49 means graduates owe less than half their first year's salary, a manageable starting point for most healthcare careers.

The earnings picture tells an interesting story. While Laurel's $51,312 median sits in the 38th percentile nationally, it hits exactly the Pennsylvania median and ranks in the 60th percentile statewide. That suggests the program performs solidly for the regional job market. However, top-tier community colleges in Pennsylvania—places like Lackawanna and Delaware County—help their graduates earn $14,000-$15,000 more in that crucial first year. That gap deserves attention if your child has access to those alternatives.

The major caveat: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, so these numbers could shift significantly year to year. Still, for a family prioritizing low debt and serving the Laurel Technical Institute's primarily working-class student body (63% receive Pell grants), this program offers a reasonable entry point into healthcare. Just understand you're trading some earning potential for debt protection, and in a field with clear advancement pathways, that might be an acceptable tradeoff.