Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at ATA College

The small sample size here is important context, but the pattern is still concerning: $28,599 in first-year earnings places ATA College in the bottom 10% of California programs for allied health and medical assisting. That's $20,000 below the California median of $49,000—a massive gap that suggests graduates are either finding very different jobs than their peers or struggling to leverage their credentials. For a program serving primarily low-income students (78% receive Pell grants), this outcome is particularly troubling.

The low debt of $6,400 provides some cushion—you could pay that off in a year or two even at these earnings levels. However, the real cost isn't the debt burden but the opportunity cost. California's allied health market clearly supports much stronger earnings, with the top programs in the state placing graduates at more than double ATA's outcomes. When the state median is nearly $50,000 and you're starting under $29,000, you have to question whether this program is providing the training, clinical connections, or credentials that California employers value.

If your child is set on this field, the data suggests looking elsewhere in California. Even average programs in the state deliver significantly better outcomes, and the debt levels are manageable across the board. With 100 schools offering this program statewide, you have options that better position graduates for California's healthcare job market.