Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science and Allied Professions at Spartanburg Community College
SC · Associate's Degree · CIP 51.10
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science and Allied Professions degree from Spartanburg Community College earn a median salary of $42,446 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in SC, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $44,586. The degree typically pays for itself in 16.7 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
$32,149
Typical Career
$42,446
Top Performers
$52,107
Estimated break-even: 16.7 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$283
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,537. Most students can comfortably afford about a $283 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 South Carolina buys what costs $0.95 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Manufacturing, 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
$44,586
Nominal: $42,446 in South Carolina (COL 95.2% of national avg) · 5% 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 | $34,014 | $42,263 | $47,168 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $32,149 | $42,446 | $52,107 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $36,805 | $52,251 | $62,322 |
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 $42,446 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in SC, which has a cost-of-living index of 95.2% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $42,446 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9520)
= $44,586 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The majority of graduates find employment in the Health Care & Social Assistance sectors, which account for 58.5%, 26.7%, and 24.3% of job placements. This concentration in a stable industry suggests a strong return on investment (ROI) for graduates. With an estimated break-even point of approximately 16.7 years compared to a high school-only path, the program offers a viable pathway to financial stability and career growth in a field that is essential to public health and well-being.
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See how the Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science and Allied Professions degree at Spartanburg 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.