Best Value Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions Colleges

California State University-Dominguez Hills graduates earn $86,867 annually while paying just $3,659 in net costs, creating an strong return on investment that outpaces most programs nationwide. This reflects the strong demand for medical laboratory professionals across California's massive healthcare system, which includes over 400 hospitals and countless diagnostic facilities. The earnings gap between top and bottom programs spans nearly $40,000, with CUNY Hunter College offering the lowest net cost at $2,446 but producing graduates earning $55,693. Public institutions dominate this field, with net costs ranging from under $2,500 to just over $13,000. The medical laboratory profession benefits from consistent growth as an aging population requires more diagnostic testing, particularly in states with large healthcare networks. Graduation rates vary significantly, from 30.3% at CUNY York College to 75.1% at University of Central Florida, suggesting program structure and student support services play important roles in completion success.

Programs

$2,446 – $18,430

Net Price Range

$58,188

Avg. Program Earnings

55.2%

Avg. Graduation Rate

50 Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions Programs

Program rankings
#	School	Net Price	Program Earnings	In-State Tuition	Graduation Rate	Acceptance Rate
1	California State University-Dominguez Hills Carson, California	$3,659	$86,867	$7,064	46.9%	89.1%
2	CUNY Hunter College New York, New York	$2,446	$55,693	$7,382	61.0%	47.9%
3	CUNY York College Jamaica, New York	$4,734	$74,576	$7,358	30.3%	59.1%
4	College of Staten Island CUNY Staten Island, New York	$5,115	$63,005	$7,490	32.8%
5	The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg, Texas	$6,500	$49,344	$9,859	49.3%	87.7%
6	Farmingdale State College Farmingdale, New York	$9,173	$69,338	$8,576	57.1%	73.2%
7	University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus Waterbury, Connecticut	$8,896	$67,101	$17,462	59.5%	97.9%
8	University of West Florida Pensacola, Florida	$8,155	$52,941	$6,360	61.8%	48.0%
9	University of Connecticut-Avery Point Groton, Connecticut	$11,504	$67,101	$17,462	56.7%	97.4%
10	Weber State University Ogden, Utah	$10,722	$58,426	$6,391	43.0%
11	Florida Gulf Coast University Fort Myers, Florida	$10,319	$54,869	$6,118	56.0%	74.4%
12	Eastern Kentucky University Richmond, Kentucky	$9,962	$52,822	$10,130	49.7%	64.3%
13	University of Illinois Springfield Springfield, Illinois	$8,916	$47,260	$12,252	61.4%	82.0%
14	University of Central Florida Orlando, Florida	$10,650	$55,286	$6,368	75.1%	41.0%
15	University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus Hartford, Connecticut	$13,339	$67,101	$17,452	65.4%	97.3%
16	University of Louisiana at Monroe Monroe, Louisiana	$11,633	$55,964	$9,190	50.6%	70.1%
17	University of Connecticut-Stamford Stamford, Connecticut	$14,059	$67,101	$17,472	56.9%	92.2%
18	Baptist Health Sciences University Memphis, Tennessee	$13,401	$63,005	$13,846	53.8%	40.9%
19	University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, Washington	$13,485	$63,355	$12,643	83.7%	47.5%
20	Indiana University-Indianapolis Indianapolis, Indiana	$11,408	$51,607	$10,449	53.9%	82.9%
21	The University of Texas at El Paso El Paso, Texas	$10,726	$47,930	$9,744	45.9%	99.9%
22	University of Alaska Anchorage Anchorage, Alaska	$13,780	$61,177	$7,566	28.9%	65.3%
23	Northeastern State University Tahlequah, Oklahoma	$11,800	$52,107	$7,513	37.2%	99.5%
24	Augusta University Augusta, Georgia	$13,347	$58,673	$8,122	48.6%	85.5%
25	West Virginia University Morgantown, West Virginia	$12,997	$56,931	$9,648	61.2%	88.4%
26	Northern Illinois University Dekalb, Illinois	$12,909	$56,415	$12,700	49.6%	70.7%
27	McNeese State University Lake Charles, Louisiana	$11,257	$49,136	$8,460	52.0%	71.2%
28	Ferris State University Big Rapids, Michigan	$12,202	$52,877	$13,630	47.9%	87.9%
29	Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud, Minnesota	$14,485	$62,154	$10,117	46.9%	95.3%
30	Stony Brook University Stony Brook, New York	$18,430	$76,460	$10,560	77.8%	49.1%
31	Austin Peay State University Clarksville, Tennessee	$14,846	$60,226	$8,675	44.5%	93.8%
32	Oregon Institute of Technology Klamath Falls, Oregon	$16,391	$63,935	$12,687	59.1%	92.6%
33	SUNY College at Plattsburgh Plattsburgh, New York	$16,547	$64,493	$8,881	58.8%	70.2%
34	University of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah	$13,172	$50,856	$9,315	63.9%	89.1%
35	University of Wisconsin-La Crosse La Crosse, Wisconsin	$15,374	$58,479	$9,651	71.2%	74.3%
36	Wichita State University Wichita, Kansas	$13,776	$52,357	$9,322	51.4%	94.9%
37	University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Stevens Point, Wisconsin	$13,726	$52,107	$8,834	56.0%	89.1%
38	Old Dominion University Norfolk, Virginia	$14,170	$53,045	$12,262	44.4%	95.1%
39	University of Mississippi University, Mississippi	$13,164	$49,214	$9,412	68.5%	97.4%
40	University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Oshkosh, Wisconsin	$14,761	$55,061	$8,212	57.9%	88.5%
41	University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg, Mississippi	$14,224	$52,464	$9,618	50.6%	98.8%
42	Texas State University San Marcos, Texas	$16,438	$59,873	$11,450	56.2%	87.7%
43	University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Milwaukee, Wisconsin	$16,177	$58,221	$10,020	51.2%	86.3%
44	Winston-Salem State University Winston-Salem, North Carolina	$13,393	$47,930	$6,735	48.6%	73.4%
45	Winona State University Winona, Minnesota	$18,148	$64,791	$10,498	60.9%	73.8%
46	University of Delaware Newark, Delaware	$16,931	$59,986	$16,080	78.8%	73.8%
47	Wright State University-Main Campus Dayton, Ohio	$15,216	$53,358	$11,188	45.9%	95.2%
48	Wayne State University Detroit, Michigan	$14,773	$51,690	$14,297	56.5%	75.3%
49	Brigham Young University Provo, Utah	$14,487	$50,677	$6,496	82.2%	66.7%
50	SUNY at Fredonia Fredonia, New York	$15,644	$54,015	$8,771	53.5%	84.6%

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes California State University-Dominguez Hills such a strong value for medical laboratory science?

Graduates earn $86,867 annually, the highest among all programs listed, while paying only $3,659 in net costs. The graduation rate reaches 46.9% with an 89.13% acceptance rate. California's extensive healthcare infrastructure creates abundant opportunities for medical laboratory professionals across the state's hospital systems and private diagnostic labs.

How do CUNY schools compare in terms of cost and career outcomes?

CUNY Hunter College offers the lowest net cost at $2,446 with graduates earning $55,693 and a 61% graduation rate. CUNY York College costs $4,734 but produces higher-earning graduates at $74,576, though with a lower 30.3% graduation rate. College of Staten Island CUNY falls between these at $5,115 net cost with $63,005 in graduate earnings.

Does geographic location significantly impact earnings for medical laboratory graduates?

Regional healthcare markets create substantial wage differences across states. California and New York programs show higher earning potential, with CSU-Dominguez Hills at $86,867 and CUNY York at $74,576. Southern programs like University of Texas Rio Grande Valley show lower earnings at $49,344. Connecticut campuses consistently produce graduates earning around $67,101 regardless of specific location.

What role does graduation rate play in program selection?

Graduation rates span from 30.3% at CUNY York College to 75.1% at University of Central Florida, indicating significant differences in academic support and program structure. University of Connecticut campuses maintain rates between 56.7% and 65.4% across multiple locations. Higher graduation rates often correlate with better student services and more structured clinical training partnerships.

How does student debt compare across these medical laboratory programs?

Available debt data shows relatively moderate borrowing, with University of Texas Rio Grande Valley graduates carrying $14,469 in debt. Eastern Kentucky University students graduate with $17,613 in debt while earning $52,822 annually. California State University-Dominguez Hills graduates manage $19,579 in debt against their $86,867 starting salaries, creating favorable debt-to-income ratios.

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Net price reflects the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time students. See our methodology for details.