Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions at University of South Carolina-Columbia

This USC program faces a significant challenge: while it performs above the middle of the pack among South Carolina's allied health programs (60th percentile), it lands in just the 23rd percentile nationally—meaning roughly three-quarters of comparable programs produce better earnings. Graduates earn $44,919 their first year, which sits $15,000 below what similar programs deliver nationally, though it does exceed the state median of $39,348.

The $27,000 debt load is average for the field, creating a manageable 0.6x debt-to-earnings ratio. However, the lack of earnings momentum tells a more troubling story: four years out, graduates see virtually no income growth, staying around $45,000. For comparison, the typical allied health professional in this field nationally earns $60,447—a $15,000 gap that compounds over a career.

If your child is committed to staying in South Carolina, this program offers regional competitiveness at the state's flagship university. But families should understand they're accepting significantly lower earning potential than what this same degree delivers at many institutions elsewhere. The stable but modest income trajectory makes this viable for students who can minimize borrowing, but it requires realistic expectations about financial outcomes compared to what's possible in this field at better-performing programs.