Health Professions at Chief Dull Knife College

Chief Dull Knife College's Health Professions associate's program comes with significant data limitations—both earnings and debt figures are estimates from national peer programs because the graduate cohort is too small for the Department of Education to publish actual outcomes. Based on those comparable programs, first-year earnings around $35,200 and debt near $15,400 suggest a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.44, which falls within the range many financial aid counselors consider reasonable for an associate's degree.

The challenge here is context. As the only institution in Montana offering this particular Health Professions credential, Chief Dull Knife operates without local competition, making it impossible to gauge how its outcomes might differ from the national average. The national benchmark earnings of $35,200 represent the median across 95 programs, but that figure spans vastly different healthcare roles—from medical assistants to respiratory therapists—with equally varied career trajectories. Without knowing which specific healthcare pathway this program prepares students for, it's difficult to assess whether the estimated debt load aligns with realistic earning potential.

For families considering this program, the key question is what specific healthcare credential graduates actually earn. Request placement data directly from the school—job titles, typical starting wages in Montana's rural healthcare market, and employer partnerships. The estimated figures suggest potential viability, but you need concrete information about what graduates actually do and earn before committing.