Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Century College

Century College's Allied Health certificate starts strong with first-year earnings of $40,253—placing it in the 95th percentile nationally and making it one of Minnesota's highest-earning programs in this field. At first glance, this looks like a solid win, especially for a short-term credential serving a heavily Pell-eligible student body.

But here's the complication: graduates earn $22,921 in debt—more than double the national median for this program and significantly above Minnesota's state median of $17,378. While the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.57 is still manageable, graduates are paying premium prices without getting premium long-term outcomes. By year four, earnings actually drop to $37,549, which means this program's initial advantage over competitors like Anoka Tech ($41,583) or Dakota County Tech ($40,180) essentially disappears. Those schools likely deliver comparable career outcomes at lower debt loads.

For families watching costs, this matters. Your child would graduate with 32% more debt than the typical Minnesota graduate in this field, and those extra borrowing costs won't be offset by higher mid-career earnings. If Century College offers unique location advantages or scheduling flexibility, the premium might be justified. Otherwise, compare carefully with the state's technical colleges—they appear to deliver similar career results without the higher price tag.