Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services: is this associate's degree worth it?
National picture across 540 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$117,099 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting associate's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 2-year duration.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
788.1 yrsModeled economic break-even
−99%Modeled 10-year ROI
$45,151Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$45,151Median reported earnings · year 4
$42,259Average reported earnings · year 5
$19,834Median federal debt
40thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
540Reporting programs
530With year-4 earnings
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
OPEN PROFILE
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $34,558
- Federal debt
- $9,500
- Reporting programs
- 737
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $45,151
- Federal debt
- $19,834
- Reporting programs
- 540
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $79,657
- Federal debt
- $22,500
- Reporting programs
- 16
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $133,189
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 14
First Professional Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $79,170
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$38,763National median$45,15175th percentile$51,011
530 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1Widener University$76,7842Tacoma Community College$76,5313College of the Sequoias$74,8474Vermont State University$74,5235Casa Loma College-Los Angeles$72,3076CBD College$71,5437Nassau Community College$68,9988Institute of Technology$68,9789Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts$68,79110Dalton State College$68,770Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1071 · 4 crosswalk linksHealthcare Support Workers, All OtherSOC 31-9099 · 4 crosswalk linksMedical AssistantsSOC 31-9092 · 3 crosswalk linksHealth Technologists and Technicians, All OtherSOC 29-2099 · 2 crosswalk linksAmbulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical TechniciansSOC 53-3011 · 1 crosswalk linksMedical and Clinical Laboratory TechniciansSOC 29-2012 · 1 crosswalk linksOccupational Therapy AssistantsSOC 31-2011 · 1 crosswalk linksPharmacy TechniciansSOC 29-2052 · 1 crosswalk linksPhysical Therapist AssistantsSOC 31-2021 · 1 crosswalk linksSurgical TechnologistsSOC 29-2055 · 1 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Widener UniversityAssociate's Degree | Chester, PA | $76,784 | $19,000 | +125% | Strong payoff |
| 2 | Tacoma Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Tacoma, WA | $76,531 | $18,220 | +195% | Strong payoff |
| 3 | College of the SequoiasAssociate's Degree | Visalia, CA | $74,847 | $14,000 | +228% | Strong payoff |
| 4 | Vermont State UniversityAssociate's Degree | Randolph, VT | $74,523 | Not available | +134% | Strong payoff |
| 5 | Casa Loma College-Los AngelesAssociate's Degree | Sherman Oaks, CA | $72,307 | $27,291 | +88% | Positive payoff |
| 6 | CBD CollegeAssociate's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $71,543 | $20,000 | +95% | Positive payoff |
| 7 | Nassau Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Garden City, NY | $68,998 | Not available | +130% | Strong payoff |
| 8 | Institute of TechnologyAssociate's Degree | Clovis, CA | $68,978 | $26,064 | +76% | Positive payoff |
| 9 | Gurnick Academy of Medical ArtsAssociate's Degree | San Jose, CA | $68,791 | $14,785 | +54% | Positive payoff |
| 10 | Dalton State CollegeAssociate's Degree | Dalton, GA | $68,770 | $16,757 | +138% | Strong payoff |
| 11 | Concorde Career College-San DiegoAssociate's Degree | San Diego, CA | $68,411 | $27,000 | +66% | Positive payoff |
| 12 | Loma Linda UniversityAssociate's Degree | Loma Linda, CA | $68,272 | $16,500 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 13 | Concorde Career College-North HollywoodAssociate's Degree | North Hollywood, CA | $67,709 | $27,000 | +65% | Positive payoff |
| 14 | Baltimore City Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Baltimore, MD | $67,488 | Not available | +84% | Positive payoff |
| 15 | Highline CollegeAssociate's Degree | Des Moines, WA | $66,918 | $7,197 | +100% | Positive payoff |
| 16 | Stanbridge UniversityAssociate's Degree | Irvine, CA | $65,946 | $30,764 | +16% | Positive payoff |
| 17 | Thomas Edison State UniversityAssociate's Degree | Trenton, NJ | $65,807 | Not available | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 18 | Parker UniversityAssociate's Degree | Dallas, TX | $65,198 | $30,500 | +36% | Positive payoff |
| 19 | Northcentral Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Wausau, WI | $65,158 | $10,796 | +82% | Positive payoff |
| 20 | Weatherford CollegeAssociate's Degree | Weatherford, TX | $65,044 | $20,750 | +82% | Positive payoff |
| 21 | Muskegon Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Muskegon, MI | $64,331 | $23,250 | +97% | Positive payoff |
| 22 | American Career College-Los AngelesAssociate's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $64,127 | $27,000 | +24% | Positive payoff |
| 23 | American Career College-AnaheimAssociate's Degree | Anaheim, CA | $64,127 | $27,000 | +25% | Positive payoff |
| 24 | Sacramento City CollegeAssociate's Degree | Sacramento, CA | $63,615 | $15,008 | +80% | Positive payoff |
| 25 | Pennsylvania Western UniversityAssociate's Degree | California, PA | $62,740 | Not available | +40% | Positive payoff |
| 26 | Carrington College-Phoenix NorthAssociate's Degree | Phoenix, AZ | $62,368 | $32,458 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 27 | Carrington College-MesaAssociate's Degree | Mesa, AZ | $62,368 | $32,458 | -7% | Negative payoff |
| 28 | Carrington College-Las VegasAssociate's Degree | Las Vegas, NV | $62,368 | $32,458 | -2% | Negative payoff |
| 29 | Tarrant County College DistrictAssociate's Degree | Fort Worth, TX | $62,271 | Not available | +75% | Positive payoff |
| 30 | Essex County CollegeAssociate's Degree | Newark, NJ | $61,635 | $25,125 | +68% | Positive payoff |
| 31 | Concorde Career College-Garden GroveAssociate's Degree | Garden Grove, CA | $61,464 | $29,750 | +18% | Positive payoff |
| 32 | Carrington College-SacramentoAssociate's Degree | Sacramento, CA | $60,704 | $29,755 | -9% | Negative payoff |
| 33 | Carrington College-Pleasant Hill CampusAssociate's Degree | Pleasant Hill, CA | $60,704 | $29,755 | -7% | Negative payoff |
| 34 | Oakton CollegeAssociate's Degree | Des Plaines, IL | $60,208 | Not available | +52% | Positive payoff |
| 35 | UCNJ Union College of Union County New JerseyAssociate's Degree | Cranford, NJ | $59,825 | $26,000 | +39% | Positive payoff |
| 36 | City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright CollegeAssociate's Degree | Chicago, IL | $59,721 | Not available | +43% | Positive payoff |
| 37 | Pima Medical Institute-AlbuquerqueAssociate's Degree | Albuquerque, NM | $59,235 | $27,032 | +8% | Positive payoff |
| 38 | Kilgore CollegeAssociate's Degree | Kilgore, TX | $59,169 | Not available | +41% | Positive payoff |
| 39 | Cerritos CollegeAssociate's Degree | Norwalk, CA | $58,974 | Not available | +47% | Positive payoff |
| 40 | San Diego Mesa CollegeAssociate's Degree | San Diego, CA | $57,592 | Not available | +24% | Positive payoff |
| 41 | Harcum CollegeAssociate's Degree | Bryn Mawr, PA | $57,557 | $30,470 | -10% | Negative payoff |
| 42 | Austin Community College DistrictAssociate's Degree | Austin, TX | $57,381 | $18,457 | +20% | Positive payoff |
| 43 | St Petersburg CollegeAssociate's Degree | St. Petersburg, FL | $57,312 | $20,453 | +32% | Positive payoff |
| 44 | New England Institute of TechnologyAssociate's Degree | East Greenwich, RI | $56,971 | $20,167 | -27% | Negative payoff |
| 45 | Genesee Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Batavia, NY | $56,954 | $18,793 | +12% | Positive payoff |
| 46 | Blackhawk Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Janesville, WI | $56,863 | Not available | +9% | Positive payoff |
| 47 | Florida Gateway CollegeAssociate's Degree | Lake City, FL | $56,702 | $9,950 | +16% | Positive payoff |
| 48 | North Shore Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Danvers, MA | $56,623 | $27,000 | +8% | Positive payoff |
| 49 | College of DuPageAssociate's Degree | Glen Ellyn, IL | $56,383 | $17,125 | +9% | Positive payoff |
| 50 | Arapahoe Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Littleton, CO | $56,165 | $21,303 | -1% | Negative payoff |
| 51 | Navarro CollegeAssociate's Degree | Corsicana, TX | $56,051 | $24,448 | -8% | Negative payoff |
| 52 | Mohave Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Kingman, AZ | $55,946 | Not available | +7% | Positive payoff |
| 53 | Somerset Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Somerset, KY | $55,891 | Not available | +10% | Positive payoff |
| 54 | Blinn College DistrictAssociate's Degree | Brenham, TX | $55,794 | $16,750 | -3% | Negative payoff |
| 55 | Pensacola State CollegeAssociate's Degree | Pensacola, FL | $55,748 | Not available | +10% | Positive payoff |
| 56 | Delgado Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | New Orleans, LA | $55,682 | $29,125 | -2% | Negative payoff |
| 57 | Concorde Career College-Kansas CityAssociate's Degree | Kansas City, MO | $55,440 | $27,000 | -30% | Negative payoff |
| 58 | Concorde Career College-San AntonioAssociate's Degree | San Antonio, TX | $55,440 | $27,000 | -27% | Negative payoff |
| 59 | Athens Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Athens, GA | $55,395 | Not available | +0% | Positive payoff |
| 60 | Concorde Career Institute-MiramarAssociate's Degree | Miramar, FL | $55,359 | $30,500 | -29% | Negative payoff |
| 61 | Eastern Virginia Career CollegeAssociate's Degree | Fredericksburg, VA | $55,187 | $22,333 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 62 | Kankakee Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Kankakee, IL | $55,092 | Not available | +2% | Positive payoff |
| 63 | Carroll Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Westminster, MD | $54,882 | $18,445 | +4% | Positive payoff |
| 64 | North Iowa Area Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Mason City, IA | $54,751 | $17,000 | -11% | Negative payoff |
| 65 | St Philip's CollegeAssociate's Degree | San Antonio, TX | $54,740 | $21,000 | -1% | Negative payoff |
| 66 | Southwest Tennessee Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Memphis, TN | $54,736 | Not available | -2% | Negative payoff |
| 67 | GateWay Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Phoenix, AZ | $54,707 | $15,581 | -17% | Negative payoff |
| 68 | CUNY LaGuardia Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Long Island City, NY | $54,544 | $19,125 | -7% | Negative payoff |
| 69 | Jefferson State Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Birmingham, AL | $54,512 | Not available | -12% | Negative payoff |
| 70 | Midlands Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | West Columbia, SC | $54,282 | $15,750 | -7% | Negative payoff |
| 71 | Lone Star College SystemAssociate's Degree | The Woodlands, TX | $54,262 | $14,000 | -18% | Negative payoff |
| 72 | Albany State UniversityAssociate's Degree | Albany, GA | $54,178 | $24,626 | -19% | Negative payoff |
| 73 | Community College of Rhode IslandAssociate's Degree | Warwick, RI | $53,946 | $18,986 | -13% | Negative payoff |
| 74 | Polk State CollegeAssociate's Degree | Winter Haven, FL | $53,932 | $24,250 | -18% | Negative payoff |
| 75 | Northern Virginia Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Annandale, VA | $53,720 | Not available | -21% | Negative payoff |
| 76 | Eastern Florida State CollegeAssociate's Degree | Melbourne, FL | $53,597 | $14,000 | -16% | Negative payoff |
| 77 | San Jacinto Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Pasadena, TX | $53,546 | $21,000 | -25% | Negative payoff |
| 78 | Murray State CollegeAssociate's Degree | Tishomingo, OK | $53,511 | $11,685 | -26% | Negative payoff |
| 79 | Seminole State College of FloridaAssociate's Degree | Sanford, FL | $53,361 | $16,166 | -23% | Negative payoff |
| 80 | Odessa CollegeAssociate's Degree | Odessa, TX | $53,344 | Not available | -19% | Negative payoff |
| 81 | University of IndianapolisAssociate's Degree | Indianapolis, IN | $53,250 | $31,000 | -38% | Negative payoff |
| 82 | Western Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | La Crosse, WI | $53,218 | $13,500 | -27% | Negative payoff |
| 83 | Lake Washington Institute of TechnologyAssociate's Degree | Kirkland, WA | $53,196 | $20,335 | -21% | Negative payoff |
| 84 | Fox CollegeAssociate's Degree | Tinley Park, IL | $53,166 | $21,579 | -30% | Negative payoff |
| 85 | Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady UniversityAssociate's Degree | Baton Rouge, LA | $53,116 | $25,455 | -36% | Negative payoff |
| 86 | Morton CollegeAssociate's Degree | Cicero, IL | $53,105 | Not available | -19% | Negative payoff |
| 87 | Brookline College-PhoenixAssociate's Degree | Phoenix, AZ | $53,092 | $31,428 | -46% | Negative payoff |
| 88 | Brookline College-AlbuquerqueAssociate's Degree | Albuquerque, NM | $53,092 | $31,428 | -51% | Negative payoff |
| 89 | John C Calhoun State Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Tanner, AL | $53,064 | $14,080 | -23% | Negative payoff |
| 90 | Arkansas State UniversityAssociate's Degree | Jonesboro, AR | $53,002 | $16,867 | -30% | Negative payoff |
| 91 | Tyler Junior CollegeAssociate's Degree | Tyler, TX | $52,786 | $14,500 | -29% | Negative payoff |
| 92 | Holmes Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Goodman, MS | $52,746 | $19,707 | -24% | Negative payoff |
| 93 | Clovis Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Clovis, NM | $52,660 | Not available | -21% | Negative payoff |
| 94 | Taylor CollegeAssociate's Degree | Ocala, FL | $52,604 | $25,250 | -42% | Negative payoff |
| 95 | Delaware Technical Community College-TerryAssociate's Degree | Dover, DE | $52,551 | $11,064 | -33% | Negative payoff |
| 96 | Connecticut State Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | New Britain, CT | $52,347 | Not available | -35% | Negative payoff |
| 97 | Houston City CollegeAssociate's Degree | Houston, TX | $52,208 | $24,562 | -29% | Negative payoff |
| 98 | Renton Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Renton, WA | $52,192 | Not available | -33% | Negative payoff |
| 99 | Suffolk County Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Selden, NY | $52,171 | $20,406 | -29% | Negative payoff |
| 100 | Pima Medical Institute-TucsonAssociate's Degree | Tucson, AZ | $52,133 | $27,292 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.