Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions: is this associate's degree worth it?
National picture across 68 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$9,500 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting associate's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 2-year duration.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
10.9 yrsModeled economic break-even
−8%Modeled 10-year ROI
$55,893Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$55,893Median reported earnings · year 4
$53,067Average reported earnings · year 5
$25,497Median federal debt
66thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
68Reporting programs
57With year-4 earnings
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
OPEN PROFILE
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $37,077
- Federal debt
- $10,688
- Reporting programs
- 116
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $55,893
- Federal debt
- $25,497
- Reporting programs
- 68
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $74,831
- Federal debt
- $26,000
- Reporting programs
- 100
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $64,180
- Federal debt
- $26,375
- Reporting programs
- 2
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $83,306
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 11
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $40,489
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 3
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $43,631
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 2
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$52,743National median$55,89375th percentile$62,339
57 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1Miami Dade College$79,0842Community College of Philadelphia$75,3043Phoenix College$72,6084Cincinnati State Technical and Community College$69,9715Tarleton State University$69,6066Portland Community College$68,9487Erie Community College$68,0978Eastern Florida State College$67,9369Kankakee Community College$67,08910Madison Area Technical College$65,303Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1071 · 13 crosswalk linksMedical and Clinical Laboratory TechniciansSOC 29-2012 · 6 crosswalk linksMedical and Clinical Laboratory TechnologistsSOC 29-2011 · 5 crosswalk linksHealth Technologists and Technicians, All OtherSOC 29-2099 · 1 crosswalk linksMedical Equipment PreparersSOC 31-9093 · 1 crosswalk linksOphthalmic Laboratory TechniciansSOC 51-9083 · 1 crosswalk linksPhlebotomistsSOC 31-9097 · 1 crosswalk linksSurgical TechnologistsSOC 29-2055 · 1 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miami Dade CollegeAssociate's Degree | Miami, FL | $79,084 | $17,537 | +238% | Strong payoff |
| 2 | Community College of PhiladelphiaAssociate's Degree | Philadelphia, PA | $75,304 | Not available | +166% | Strong payoff |
| 3 | Phoenix CollegeAssociate's Degree | Phoenix, AZ | $72,608 | $20,068 | +142% | Strong payoff |
| 4 | Cincinnati State Technical and Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Cincinnati, OH | $69,971 | $19,388 | +150% | Strong payoff |
| 5 | Tarleton State UniversityAssociate's Degree | Stephenville, TX | $69,606 | $21,125 | +87% | Positive payoff |
| 6 | Portland Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Portland, OR | $68,948 | Not available | +116% | Strong payoff |
| 7 | Erie Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Buffalo, NY | $68,097 | Not available | +119% | Strong payoff |
| 8 | Eastern Florida State CollegeAssociate's Degree | Melbourne, FL | $67,936 | Not available | +123% | Strong payoff |
| 9 | Kankakee Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Kankakee, IL | $67,089 | Not available | +122% | Strong payoff |
| 10 | Madison Area Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Madison, WI | $65,303 | $26,000 | +71% | Positive payoff |
| 11 | SUNY Broome Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Binghamton, NY | $63,764 | $30,139 | +74% | Positive payoff |
| 12 | Houston City CollegeAssociate's Degree | Houston, TX | $63,664 | $16,250 | +84% | Positive payoff |
| 13 | Brookline College-PhoenixAssociate's Degree | Phoenix, AZ | $63,280 | $22,637 | +22% | Positive payoff |
| 14 | Northern Michigan UniversityAssociate's Degree | Marquette, MI | $62,505 | $18,334 | +48% | Positive payoff |
| 15 | Weber State UniversityAssociate's Degree | Ogden, UT | $62,339 | $24,643 | +57% | Positive payoff |
| 16 | Rose State CollegeAssociate's Degree | Midwest City, OK | $62,166 | Not available | +50% | Positive payoff |
| 17 | Harcum CollegeAssociate's Degree | Bryn Mawr, PA | $62,144 | $33,750 | +23% | Positive payoff |
| 18 | Keiser University-Ft LauderdaleAssociate's Degree | Fort Lauderdale, FL | $61,491 | $26,846 | +9% | Positive payoff |
| 19 | South CollegeAssociate's Degree | Knoxville, TN | $61,037 | $24,487 | +28% | Positive payoff |
| 20 | Southwest Wisconsin Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Fennimore, WI | $60,865 | $19,698 | +37% | Positive payoff |
| 21 | Northeastern Oklahoma A&M CollegeAssociate's Degree | Miami, OK | $59,693 | Not available | +31% | Positive payoff |
| 22 | Lakeland Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Kirtland, OH | $59,147 | $27,000 | +34% | Positive payoff |
| 23 | Stark State CollegeAssociate's Degree | North Canton, OH | $58,192 | Not available | +29% | Positive payoff |
| 24 | George Washington UniversityAssociate's Degree | Washington, DC | $56,373 | $9,500 | -30% | Negative payoff |
| 25 | Harrisburg Area Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Harrisburg, PA | $56,279 | $29,792 | -5% | Negative payoff |
| 26 | Des Moines Area Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Ankeny, IA | $56,204 | $24,250 | -0% | Negative payoff |
| 27 | Amarillo CollegeAssociate's Degree | Amarillo, TX | $56,168 | Not available | +13% | Positive payoff |
| 28 | Seminole State CollegeAssociate's Degree | Seminole, OK | $56,072 | Not available | -7% | Negative payoff |
| 29 | Miller-Motte College-ChattanoogaAssociate's Degree | Chattanooga, TN | $55,893 | $29,028 | -21% | Negative payoff |
| 30 | Miller-Motte College-Berks Technical Institute-AllentownAssociate's Degree | Allentown, PA | $55,893 | $29,028 | -18% | Negative payoff |
| 31 | South Louisiana Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Lafayette, LA | $55,737 | Not available | -7% | Negative payoff |
| 32 | Marion Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Marion, OH | $55,735 | Not available | +2% | Positive payoff |
| 33 | Ivy Tech Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Indianapolis, IN | $55,321 | $17,024 | -1% | Negative payoff |
| 34 | South Central CollegeAssociate's Degree | North Mankato, MN | $54,924 | Not available | -8% | Negative payoff |
| 35 | Community College of Allegheny CountyAssociate's Degree | Pittsburgh, PA | $54,047 | Not available | -23% | Negative payoff |
| 36 | Tulsa Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Tulsa, OK | $53,813 | $26,444 | -14% | Negative payoff |
| 37 | Shawnee State UniversityAssociate's Degree | Portsmouth, OH | $53,741 | Not available | -26% | Negative payoff |
| 38 | Tri-County Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Pendleton, SC | $52,963 | Not available | -33% | Negative payoff |
| 39 | Rasmussen University-FloridaAssociate's Degree | Ocala, FL | $52,743 | $27,535 | -42% | Negative payoff |
| 40 | Rasmussen University-MinnesotaAssociate's Degree | St. Cloud, MN | $52,743 | $27,535 | -39% | Negative payoff |
| 41 | Rasmussen University-North DakotaAssociate's Degree | Fargo, ND | $52,743 | $27,535 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 42 | Rasmussen University-IllinoisAssociate's Degree | Rockford, IL | $52,743 | $27,535 | -40% | Negative payoff |
| 43 | Rasmussen University-WisconsinAssociate's Degree | Green Bay, WI | $52,743 | $27,535 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 44 | Rasmussen University-KansasAssociate's Degree | Topeka, KS | $52,743 | $27,535 | -44% | Negative payoff |
| 45 | Columbus State Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Columbus, OH | $52,341 | Not available | -31% | Negative payoff |
| 46 | Hawkeye Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Waterloo, IA | $51,998 | Not available | -36% | Negative payoff |
| 47 | Lake Area Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Watertown, SD | $51,402 | Not available | -48% | Negative payoff |
| 48 | Alexandria Technical & Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Alexandria, MN | $50,682 | Not available | -52% | Negative payoff |
| 49 | George C Wallace State Community College-HancevilleAssociate's Degree | Hanceville, AL | $49,001 | $15,225 | -66% | Negative payoff |
| 50 | Chippewa Valley Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Eau Claire, WI | $48,719 | $27,066 | -68% | Negative payoff |
| 51 | Fortis College-Cuyahoga FallsAssociate's Degree | Cuyahoga Falls, OH | $47,865 | Not available | -79% | Negative payoff |
| 52 | Fortis Institute-CookevilleAssociate's Degree | Cookeville, TN | $47,865 | Not available | -79% | Negative payoff |
| 53 | Fortis College-Baton RougeAssociate's Degree | Baton Rouge, LA | $47,493 | $35,304 | -82% | Negative payoff |
| 54 | Fortis Institute-NashvilleAssociate's Degree | Nashville, TN | $47,493 | $35,304 | -83% | Negative payoff |
| 55 | Fortis Institute-BirminghamAssociate's Degree | Birmingham, AL | $47,493 | $35,304 | -82% | Negative payoff |
| 56 | Western Dakota Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Rapid City, SD | $40,340 | $24,994 | -140% | Negative payoff |
| 57 | Southwest University at El PasoAssociate's Degree | El Paso, TX | $36,823 | $26,496 | -166% | Negative payoff |
| 58 | Arapahoe Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Littleton, CO | Not available | $27,845 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $11,571 |
| 59 | Florida State College at JacksonvilleAssociate's Degree | Jacksonville, FL | Not available | $17,104 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $4,128 |
| 60 | Albany State UniversityAssociate's Degree | Albany, GA | Not available | $15,179 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $11,898 |
| 61 | Saint Paul CollegeAssociate's Degree | Saint Paul, MN | Not available | $22,375 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $11,495 |
| 62 | Mississippi Gulf Coast Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Perkinston, MS | Not available | $9,785 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $6,962 |
| 63 | Southeast Community College AreaAssociate's Degree | Lincoln, NE | Not available | $19,067 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $9,171 |
| 64 | Sinclair Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Dayton, OH | Not available | $12,822 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $5,992 |
| 65 | Stautzenberger College-MaumeeAssociate's Degree | Maumee, OH | Not available | $29,832 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $21,756 |
| 66 | Community College of Rhode IslandAssociate's Degree | Warwick, RI | Not available | $19,626 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $6,513 |
| 67 | Casper CollegeAssociate's Degree | Casper, WY | Not available | $12,649 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $9,593 |
| 68 | Stautzenberger College-Rockford Career CollegeAssociate's Degree | Rockford, IL | Not available | $29,832 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $21,601 |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.