Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions at SUNY Broome Community College

Laboratory science graduates from SUNY Broome are earning well above the national average for this associate's degree—$53,886 versus the typical $48,026—and those earnings continue growing over the first four years. The debt burden of $30,139 is higher than the national median but remains manageable, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.56. That means graduates are earning nearly double what they owe, a healthy starting position for a two-year healthcare program that leads directly to employment.

The trade-off here is meaningful: you're paying about $5,000 more in debt than average but graduating into the 72nd percentile nationally for earnings in this field. In New York specifically, SUNY Broome sits right at the median for both debt and earnings, making it a typical in-state option rather than an outlier. The program serves a significant Pell grant population while maintaining strong graduate outcomes, suggesting accessibility doesn't compromise quality.

One important caveat: the sample size is small, meaning these numbers could shift with more data. Still, for families looking at a direct path to healthcare employment through a two-year degree, the financial fundamentals work. Graduates leave with immediately useful credentials, debt they can reasonably manage on first-year salaries, and earnings that trend upward rather than stagnate.