Health and Medical Administrative Services at Bluegrass Community and Technical College

Starting at under $24,000 a year is a red flag, placing this program in the bottom 5% nationally for Health and Medical Administrative Services. While the 36% earnings jump to $32,241 by year four shows graduates aren't stuck, they're still earning roughly $6,000 less than Kentucky's state median for this field—and that's after four years of career progression. Other Kentucky community colleges like Gateway ($48,917) and Jefferson ($36,541) are placing graduates in substantially better positions from day one.

The relatively low debt load of $13,289 provides some cushion, though it's worth noting this still sits above the national median when considered against such weak initial earnings. The 0.56 debt-to-earnings ratio isn't catastrophic, but you're essentially betting that your child will navigate toward the stronger earning trajectory rather than plateau near that concerning first-year number.

The small sample size here matters—these figures might not represent a typical graduate's experience. If your child is set on this field and Bluegrass is the only accessible option, the manageable debt keeps the downside risk limited. But if other Kentucky schools are within reach, the earnings gap suggests those would be worth the extra effort to pursue.