Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions at Southern Union State Community College

Southern Union's allied health program shows concerning first-year earnings of $37,835—landing graduates about $8,200 below Alabama's typical outcome for similar programs and roughly $16,500 behind the national median. While the estimated debt of $16,704 (based on comparable community college programs) isn't crushing on its own, it pairs with earnings that rank in just the 5th percentile nationally and 25th percentile within Alabama. Top-performing community colleges in the state, like Lurleen B Wallace and Jefferson State, report graduate earnings in the $51,000-$52,000 range—nearly 40% higher.

The modest 6% earnings growth over four years suggests graduates aren't experiencing the salary acceleration you'd hope for after entering the workforce. At around $40,000 even four years out, these numbers indicate limited career momentum in what should be a growing healthcare field. Given that Alabama has 18 programs in this area to choose from, several with substantially better reported outcomes, this specific program appears to underperform its in-state peers significantly.

If your child is set on allied health and this is the most convenient option, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.44 is manageable—but consider whether nearby alternatives like Jefferson State or Wallace Community College might justify a longer commute. The gap between Southern Union's outcomes and those of higher-performing programs in Alabama is too large to ignore when making a two-year investment.