Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions at South Suburban College

South Suburban College delivers one of the strongest debt outcomes you'll find for allied health training—just $8,347 in median debt, well below both the Illinois median ($13,500) and the national median ($19,113). That's a significant financial advantage that makes this program accessible even to cost-conscious families. The first-year earnings of $52,242 sit slightly below state and national medians, but the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.16 means graduates can comfortably manage their loans while building a healthcare career.

The earnings gap is real though. Top Illinois programs like Harper College and College of DuPage produce graduates earning $10,000-$13,000 more annually, which compounds over a career. For students prioritizing minimal debt and quick entry into the workforce, South Suburban offers a viable path—you're looking at roughly $700 monthly loan payments versus potentially $1,100+ elsewhere. But if maximizing earning potential matters more, and especially if your child can commute to one of the higher-performing programs, the extra earnings likely justify moderately higher debt.

The calculus here depends on your family's situation. If taking on zero debt beyond the federal subsidized maximum is non-negotiable, this program works. If career earnings growth is the priority, investigate why Harper and DuPage graduates command such a premium—it may be clinical placement networks, program specializations, or employer relationships worth pursuing instead.