Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 224 college programs, at a typical net price.
On these figures the cost and debt outweigh the earnings premium.
What Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions pays
Career outlook for Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions graduates
The job market for the occupations Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health specialties teachers, postsecondary | 289,600 | +17.3% | $105,620 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Health technologists and technicians, all other | 178,800 | +5.2% | $48,790 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Phlebotomists | 139,700 | +5.6% | $43,660 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Surgical technologists | 115,600 | +4.5% | $62,830 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Medical equipment preparers | 76,500 | +10.0% | $46,490 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Ophthalmic laboratory technicians | 19,600 | +2.3% | $38,420 | High school diploma or equivalent |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions vs similar majors
How Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions stacks up against the closest fields in Health Professions & Nursing on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions Health Professions & Nursing · this major | Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences | Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies | Medicine | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 31 F | 80 A | 80 A | 80 A |
| ROI verdict | Poor return | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $52,592 | $226,546 | $214,065 | $162,555 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $49,812 | $212,530 | $166,304 | $65,892 |
| ROI vs cost | -3% | +1,129% | +1,565% | +708% |
| Typical debt | $17,149 | $207,643 | $81,076 | $201,913 |
| Colleges offering it | 224 | 33 | 6 | 155 |
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY Hunter College New York, NY | Associate's | $95,931 | — | +8,434% | Strong return |
| 2 | CUNY Bronx Community College Bronx, NY | Certificate | $68,938 | — | +5,265% | Strong return |
| 3 | Mt San Antonio College Walnut, CA | Certificate | $74,814 | — | +4,494% | Strong return |
| 4 | Cincinnati State Technical and Community College Cincinnati, OH | Certificate | $66,662 | — | +4,260% | Strong return |
| 5 | College of Staten Island CUNY Staten Island, NY | Associate's | $93,443 | — | +4,242% | Strong return |
| 6 | Eastern Florida State College Melbourne, FL | Certificate | $69,916 | — | +3,769% | Strong return |
| 7 | J Sargeant Reynolds Community College Richmond, VA | Certificate | $62,760 | — | +3,337% | Strong return |
| 8 | California State University-Dominguez Hills Carson, CA | Associate's | $126,318 | $19,579 | +3,238% | Strong return |
| 9 | Shoreline College Shoreline, WA | Certificate | $69,426 | — | +2,745% | Strong return |
| 10 | Community College of Rhode Island Warwick, RI | Certificate | $63,399 | — | +2,725% | Strong return |
| 11 | Austin Community College District Austin, TX | Certificate | $58,744 | — | +2,051% | Strong return |
| 12 | Phoenix College Phoenix, AZ | Certificate | $71,539 | $6,750 | +1,728% | Strong return |
| 13 | Weber State University Ogden, UT | Certificate | $73,672 | $16,666 | +1,656% | Strong return |
| 14 | Northern Virginia Community College Annandale, VA | Certificate | $62,101 | — | +1,624% | Strong return |
| 15 | Monroe Community College Rochester, NY | Certificate | $55,867 | — | +1,611% | Strong return |
| 16 | Farmingdale State College Farmingdale, NY | Associate's | $94,447 | $19,977 | +1,604% | Strong return |
| 17 | Miami Dade College Miami, FL | Certificate | $54,158 | — | +1,576% | Strong return |
| 18 | Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NY | Associate's | $106,814 | $17,500 | +1,307% | Strong return |
| 19 | Weber State University Ogden, UT | Associate's | $81,810 | $20,832 | +1,210% | Strong return |
| 20 | Austin Peay State University Clarksville, TN | Associate's | $75,418 | $12,500 | +1,166% | Strong return |
| 21 | Community College of Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA | Certificate | $59,431 | — | +1,112% | Strong return |
| 22 | Radford University Radford, VA | Certificate | $62,029 | — | +1,068% | Strong return |
| 23 | Indiana University-Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN | Certificate | $61,865 | $8,683 | +1,037% | Strong return |
| 24 | Community College of Allegheny County Pittsburgh, PA | Certificate | $60,591 | — | +1,016% | Strong return |
| 25 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WA | Associate's | $81,461 | $13,000 | +1,008% | Strong return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.