Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions at Midwestern State University

Midwestern State's allied health program shows a puzzling disconnect: graduates earn well above the national median initially but lag behind most Texas programs, then see their earnings slip by nearly $5,200 over four years. While that first-year salary of $67,953 lands in the 70th percentile nationally, it's only 40th percentile in Texas—meaning six out of ten comparable Texas programs produce higher earners.

The debt picture offers some relief. At $24,000, it's below both state and national medians, creating a manageable 0.35 debt-to-earnings ratio. That's not trivial given the downward earnings trajectory, but it means your child wouldn't start their career drowning in payments. The earnings decline is worth understanding: are graduates switching to lower-paying but more sustainable positions? Are initial certification-based jobs not translating to career advancement? The pattern suggests early-career earnings might not reflect long-term prospects in this field.

For a Texas family, this is a value-versus-opportunity tradeoff. Your child could pay less here than at UT Health San Antonio (where grads earn $87,264), but they'd also be earning $20,000 less annually. If minimizing debt is the priority and your child plans to stay in Texas where higher-paying programs exist, consider whether the savings justify potentially starting behind peers. The accessible admission and strong Pell enrollment suggest Midwestern serves students well, but the middle-of-the-road Texas performance means this isn't capturing the state's strongest allied health opportunities.