Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Clarkson College

Clarkson College's medical assisting program lands graduates near $42,000 within the first year—outpacing both the national median ($36,862) and Nebraska's median ($39,334) for this field. Among Nebraska's seven programs, this ranks 60th percentile, essentially middle-of-the-pack in a small state market. It trails only Northeast Community College locally, putting it ahead of more established names like Nebraska Methodist College.

The challenge lies in the debt load. At $30,534, graduates carry nearly double what's typical for Nebraska medical assisting programs ($16,962) and well above the national median ($19,825). This places Clarkson in the bottom 5th percentile nationally for debt—meaning 95% of comparable programs burden students with less. With earnings barely budging over four years (just a 1% increase), that initial salary must carry the weight of loan payments for years to come.

For families, the math is straightforward: you're paying private college prices for an associate degree in a field where community colleges produce similar outcomes at half the cost. Northeast Community College gets graduates to $42,190 with far less debt. Unless Clarkson offers scholarships that significantly reduce that $30,534 price tag, Nebraska's community college options deliver better financial value in this career path.