Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at California Aeronautical University

A first-year salary around $49,000 against $19,000 in debt looks manageable at first glance—similar California programs typically see graduates earning enough to handle their loans comfortably. But the four-year earnings figure of $35,314 raises immediate questions. If this drop represents actual outcomes for California Aeronautical's graduates (and isn't itself an estimate), it suggests either significant employment disruption or a shift to part-time work that peers in this field don't typically experience. Top programs in the state see graduates earning above $59,000, so there's clearly room for better outcomes in this field.

The debt burden itself isn't alarming—it matches what's typical for California allied health programs. But paired with that concerning four-year earnings dip, the financial picture becomes less clear. Medical assisting and allied health roles usually offer steady, if modest, career trajectories. If your child is considering this specific program, understanding why later earnings appear to fall short of both first-year projections and what comparable programs produce is essential. The school serves a high proportion of Pell students, which may indicate strong support systems, but it doesn't explain the earnings trajectory. Get concrete answers about graduate employment patterns and whether the four-year figure reflects actual tracked outcomes before committing.