Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions at Southwest Tennessee Community College

Based on comparable programs in Tennessee, this laboratory science associate's degree appears positioned in the middle of the state's range, with estimated first-year earnings around $43,700. That's roughly $4,300 below the national median for these programs, though it matches Tennessee's state median—suggesting the field simply pays less regionally. The estimated debt load of about $19,700 creates a manageable 0.45 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates would owe less than half their first-year salary.

What makes this estimate harder to interpret is the wide variation among Tennessee's lab science programs. Graduates from Columbia State's comparable program earn nearly $48,200, while South College's earn just over $30,400—a $17,000 swing that matters enormously when you're budgeting loan payments. Southwest Tennessee's profile serving 42% Pell-eligible students suggests strong access, but without program-specific outcomes data, you're essentially betting that their training produces results closer to Columbia State than South College.

The field itself is solid—healthcare technical roles with associate's degrees typically offer stable employment—but you'd want to verify this specific program's clinical placement sites and pass rates for certification exams before committing. These tangible program outcomes would tell you far more than state-level estimates can about whether Southwest Tennessee's version of this degree delivers on the laboratory science profession's promise.