Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Baker College

Baker College's Allied Health and Medical Assisting program starts with a significant advantage over other Michigan options—first-year earnings of $36,955 place it in the 60th percentile statewide, well above the state median of $32,900. The debt load of $23,184, while higher than the state median, remains manageable at 0.63 times first-year earnings. With over 100 graduates tracked, these numbers are reliable.

The concern is what happens next. By year four, median earnings drop to $32,974, an 11% decline that erases the initial advantage. This backward trajectory is unusual and suggests graduates may be hitting a ceiling in entry-level medical assisting roles or facing challenges with advancement. Meanwhile, top-performing programs like Muskegon Community College show their graduates earning $58,377, nearly double what Baker College graduates make by year four.

For parents, this program offers reasonable access to healthcare employment with debt that won't become crushing, but it appears to prepare students for roles with limited growth potential. If your child is certain about medical assisting as a career, this gets them in the door at competitive cost. However, if they're hoping for steady income growth or considering this as a stepping stone to higher healthcare positions, the earnings decline should prompt serious conversations about whether a different program—or a different credential entirely—might serve them better long-term.