Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Carrington College-Pleasant Hill Campus

Carrington College-Pleasant Hill's Allied Health program starts with exceptionally strong first-year earnings of $61,881—ranking in the 95th percentile nationally and 80th percentile among California's 100 programs. This puts graduates ahead of most competitors and well above the state median of $48,908. The concerning development: earnings drop sharply to $44,082 by year four, a 29% decline that's unusual in healthcare fields typically known for wage stability.

The debt load of $29,755 is notably higher than both the California median ($19,000) and national median ($19,825) for this program type. While still manageable at 48% of first-year earnings, the premium tuition becomes harder to justify once earnings fall below the state average in later years. Half of students receive Pell grants, suggesting many families are borrowing to afford this higher-priced option.

This looks like a program that helps graduates land strong initial positions—perhaps through clinical placement relationships—but those roles either don't offer long-term growth or graduates transition to different positions with lower pay. If your child can secure similar debt levels at a community college offering this program (where California medians suggest lower borrowing), that would provide better long-term value. If choosing Carrington, the early earnings advantage needs to translate into career momentum quickly, before that financial edge disappears.