Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science and Allied Professions at Orange County Community College
NY · Associate's Degree · CIP 51.10
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science and Allied Professions degree from Orange County Community College earn a median salary of $58,858 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in NY, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $44,589. The degree typically pays for itself in 7.3 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
$47,666
Typical Career
$58,858
Top Performers
$72,585
Estimated break-even: 7.3 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$392
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,905. Most students can comfortably afford about a $392 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.5x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.8x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in New York buys what costs $1.32 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Retail Trade, Educational Services.
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
$44,589
Nominal: $58,858 in New York (COL 132.0% of national avg) · 24.2% lower 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 | $35,115 | $55,746 | $64,978 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $47,666 | $58,858 | $72,585 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $60,590 | $82,048 | $100,394 |
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 $58,858 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in NY, which has a cost-of-living index of 132.0% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $58,858 × (1.0 ÷ 1.3200)
= $44,589 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 (37.0%), Educational Services (22.1%), and Finance & Insurance (10.3%). This diverse range of sectors suggests a stable job market and various employment opportunities. The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 7.3 years, indicating a reasonable return on investment for pursuing this degree. Overall, the career path in Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science and Allied Professions appears to offer a solid financial outlook and diverse career options.
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See how the Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science and Allied Professions degree at Orange County Community College 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.