Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions at Missouri State University - West Plains
MO · Associate's Degree · CIP 51.09
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions degree from Missouri State University - West Plains earn a median salary of $42,596 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MO, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $47,753. The degree typically pays for itself in 24.9 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$31,905
Typical Career
$42,596
Top Performers
$52,283
Estimated break-even: 24.9 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$284
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,550. Most students can comfortably afford about a $284 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.1x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.5x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Missouri buys what costs $0.89 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Retail Trade.
Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$47,753
Nominal: $42,596 in Missouri (COL 89.2% of national avg) · 12.1% higher purchasing power
10-Year Earnings Curve
Break-Even Timeline
How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).
Total Investment
$155,168
4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost
HS Graduate Baseline
$38,792/yr
BLS 2023 median, HS diploma
View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
| Timeframe | 25th Pct. | Median (50th) | 75th Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year After Graduation | $27,732 | $36,308 | $46,435 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $31,905 | $42,596 | $52,283 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $30,926 | $46,845 | $54,453 |
Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).
How We Calculate Purchasing Power
The median salary of $42,596 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in MO, which has a cost-of-living index of 89.2% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $42,596 × (1.0 ÷ 0.8920)
= $47,753 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The primary industries for graduates include Health Care & Social Assistance (33.7%), Educational Services (18.3%), and Retail Trade (13.6%), reflecting a strong alignment with sectors that prioritize health and education. The estimated break-even point for choosing this educational path over a high school-only route is approximately 24.9 years, suggesting a long-term return on investment. Overall, the data indicates that pursuing a degree in this field can lead to stable employment and a reasonable financial outlook.
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See how the Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions degree at Missouri State University - West Plains stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
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Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.