Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Arapahoe Community College

Arapahoe Community College's Allied Health program sits in an unusual position: it beats three-quarters of similar programs nationally but lands squarely in the middle among Colorado's 17 schools offering this degree. That gap matters because most community college students stay in-state, where competing programs—particularly Concorde Career College-Aurora at nearly $50,000—offer substantially higher earning potential. The $42,853 first-year salary is respectable, but it trails the Colorado median of $43,514 and falls well short of the top-performing programs in the state.

The real concern is what happens after graduation. Earnings actually decline 6% by year four, dropping to just over $40,000—a pattern that suggests either job market saturation or limited advancement opportunities in these roles. With debt of $21,303 (lower than Colorado's typical $24,298), new graduates face manageable payments initially, but the shrinking income trajectory complicates long-term planning.

The small sample size here—fewer than 30 graduates tracked—means these numbers could shift dramatically with more data. For a parent considering this program, the question is whether slightly lower debt justifies accepting middle-tier Colorado earnings with downward momentum. If medical assisting is the goal, Pueblo Community College offers similar outcomes at a lower price point, while spending more at Concorde or Pima appears to unlock meaningfully better salaries.