Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Anoka Technical College

At $24,326 in debt, Anoka Technical College students are borrowing less than typical for this field—about $5,000 below the Minnesota median and well below the national average. That's meaningful for a program where first-year earnings of $38,417 already exceed the national median, putting graduates ahead of 57% of similar programs nationwide.

The challenge here is what happens after year one. While initial placement looks solid—matching the state median and beating most national competitors—earnings slip slightly to $37,450 by year four. This isn't catastrophic, but it suggests these roles may not offer much upward mobility. For context, Lake Superior College and Northland Community and Technical College graduates in this same field start $4,000-5,000 higher, though Anoka's debt advantage narrows that gap in practical terms.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63 means graduates owe roughly eight months of their first-year salary—manageable territory for an associate degree. If your child is committed to medical assisting or allied health support roles and wants to stay in the Twin Cities area, this program gets them credentialed without crushing debt. Just recognize the salary ceiling appears relatively fixed, so this is better suited for someone seeking stable healthcare employment rather than dramatic income growth.