2026 Best Value Clinical/Medical Laboratory Assistant Schools in the Southwest Region
[Clinical/Medical Laboratory Assistant](/majors/health-care-professions/allied-health-medical-assisting-services/clinical-medical-laboratory-assistant/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for clinical/medical laboratory assistant students.
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2026 Best Value Clinical/Medical Laboratory Assistant Schools in the Southwest Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the clinical/medical laboratory assistant degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Clinical/Medical Laboratory Assistant Schools
Our analysis ranked Central Arizona College the best value for a degree in clinical/medical laboratory assistant in the Southwest Region. Located in the rural area of Coolidge, Central Arizona College is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $2,250, with out-of-state students paying around $4,500. Typical student debt for clinical/medical laboratory assistant graduates is $11,635. Soon after graduation, clinical/medical laboratory assistant degree recipients from Central Arizona College generally make around $48,826. Set against $11,635 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Phoenix College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value clinical/medical laboratory assistant schools. Set in the city of Phoenix, Phoenix College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,358, compared with $8,959 for out-of-state students. Clinical/medical Laboratory Assistant graduates carry a median of $15,204 in student loans. Early-career clinical/medical laboratory assistant graduates make about $51,053. That is a strong return on a $15,204 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Southwest University At El Paso earned it the #3 place for clinical/medical laboratory assistant. Set in the city of El Paso, Southwest University At El Paso is a mid-sized private for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,000. Clinical/medical Laboratory Assistant graduates carry a median of $18,250 in student loans. Clinical/medical Laboratory Assistant graduates of Southwest University At El Paso earn a median of $24,117 early in their careers. Set against $18,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Lamson Institute is a great value for students pursuing a degree in clinical/medical laboratory assistant, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of San Antonio, Lamson Institute is a small private for-profit university. Students borrow a median of $9,500 to complete the clinical/medical laboratory assistant program here. Early-career clinical/medical laboratory assistant graduates make about $26,882. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
