Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at American Career College-Ontario

American Career College-Ontario's medical assisting program produces earnings that fall short of what most California students achieve in this field. At $25,702 one year out, graduates earn about $1,200 less than the state median and nearly $2,000 below the national average. While this places the program at the 40th percentile in California, that's particularly concerning given how many stronger options exist—the top programs in the state are producing graduates who earn $12,000 to $15,000 more annually.

The $9,500 debt load is at least manageable, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.37 that's reasonable for a certificate program. Earnings do grow 11% by year four, reaching $28,391, which brings graduates closer to average but still behind many peers. For a program serving a predominantly lower-income student body (61% receive Pell grants), these modest outcomes mean students are trading significant opportunity cost and time for below-average results in their local market.

If your child is set on medical assisting in Southern California, explore community college alternatives or programs with demonstrated track records of higher earnings. With 185 schools offering this credential in California alone, there's little reason to settle for below-median outcomes when the debt is identical across programs. The difference of even $5,000-$10,000 annually compounds significantly over a career.