Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions at NorthWest Arkansas Community College

NorthWest Arkansas Community College's allied health program starts strong with $59,189 in first-year earnings—well above both the state median ($48,926) and national median ($54,327), ranking in the 60th percentile among Arkansas programs. The $15,500 in debt is reasonable, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.26. However, there's a major red flag: earnings drop sharply to $41,219 by year four, a 30% decline that's unusual for healthcare fields.

This earnings pattern suggests graduates may be entering relatively high-paying positions immediately after graduation but then transitioning to different roles or experiencing sector shifts. It's possible some graduates start in clinical settings with overtime or shift differentials, then move to regular day positions, or that the data captures career changes out of direct patient care. The small sample size (under 30 graduates tracked) means these numbers could be skewed by just a few individuals' career paths.

For parents, the immediate value is clear—the program delivers strong initial employment outcomes at a low debt cost. But you'll want to investigate what happens after year one. Ask the college about typical career progressions for graduates and whether the decline reflects natural career paths in this field or something more concerning. The upfront numbers suggest solid training, but understanding why earnings drop will be critical to judging long-term value.