Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions at Western Dakota Technical College

Western Dakota Technical College's medical laboratory science program sits squarely in the middle—both within South Dakota and nationally—but that middle ground might actually work in students' favor. With graduates earning $46,378 their first year against $25,000 in debt, the math is straightforward: you're borrowing about half your first year's salary, then entering a field with stable demand. The program costs exactly the state median and produces earnings just slightly below it, meaning you're getting what you pay for without any nasty surprises.

The caveat here matters: with fewer than 30 graduates in this dataset, these numbers could shift significantly year to year. A few high or low earners can move the needle considerably. That said, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.54 is solid for healthcare training—you'd pay this off in reasonable time while working in a profession that tends to offer steady employment. The alternative at Lake Area Technical College shows marginally higher earnings ($47,512), but we're talking about a $1,100 difference that probably comes down to where graduates land jobs rather than program quality.

For parents weighing this investment, the key question is location. If your student plans to work in western South Dakota anyway, this program delivers practical healthcare training without excessive debt. Just don't expect earnings to significantly outpace other South Dakota programs—this is a middle-of-the-pack performer that offers reliable employment rather than standout financial returns.