Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Amarillo College

Amarillo College graduates in Allied Health and Medical Assisting earn $49,025 in their first year—substantially more than the national median of $36,862 and putting them in the 93rd percentile nationally. That's impressive performance for a program serving a heavily working-class population (44% Pell recipients). The $15,500 in typical debt is manageable at just 0.32 times first-year earnings, meaning graduates could theoretically pay it off in under four months if they devoted a third of their income to loans.

The Texas perspective adds important nuance. While this program excels nationally, it lands at the 60th percentile among Texas programs, where the median graduate earns $44,175. That's still $5,000 more than that state median, and notably, Amarillo's graduates carry about $5,500 less debt than the Texas average. Earnings climb steadily to $52,929 by year four, suggesting these allied health roles offer real career progression rather than dead-ending.

For Texas families comparing in-state options, Amarillo College delivers strong outcomes without the debt load of some higher-earning competitors. You're looking at solid middle-class wages from day one, reasonable debt, and a clear upward trajectory—exactly what an associate degree should provide.