Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions at University of Sioux Falls

The estimated debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.39 suggests this program should be manageable financially—based on comparable programs nationally, graduates appear to borrow roughly $25,000 and earn around $65,000 in their first year. That's substantially better than the typical bachelor's degree across fields, where debt burdens of 1.0 or higher are common. For a healthcare profession with strong job stability, these numbers point to a relatively straightforward path to repayment.

What's worth noting is that South Dakota State University—the one program in the state with published outcomes—reports $69,255 in first-year earnings, about $4,000 higher than the national median used to estimate USF's figures. If USF's actual outcomes track closer to state norms, the value proposition improves further. However, the smaller program size at USF (which necessitates these estimates) means you're working with less certainty about graduate outcomes compared to larger programs with established track records.

Clinical laboratory science is a field where credentials and licensing matter more than institutional prestige, and the work itself is fairly standardized across settings. The estimated debt load is modest enough that even if earnings land at the lower end of the range, your child should be able to manage payments while building career stability. Just recognize you're relying on broader program patterns rather than this school's specific graduate performance.