Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at College of Lake County

Based on comparable programs in Illinois, allied health graduates typically earn around $40,000 in their first year—a figure that aligns with the state median but actually drops to $36,523 by year four at this particular institution. That downward trajectory is unusual and concerning, especially when other Illinois community colleges like Oakton ($52,161) and South Suburban ($46,568) produce significantly stronger outcomes in the same field. The gap suggests something about either program quality or the specific healthcare roles these graduates pursue.

The estimated debt load of $16,681 looks manageable on paper, yielding a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42 that's well within safe territory. Similar programs across Illinois carry about $17,000 in debt, so this falls in line with expectations. However, that calculation becomes less reassuring when earnings decline rather than grow in subsequent years—a pattern that defies normal career progression in healthcare support roles.

The key concern here is whether College of Lake County's program prepares graduates for positions with growth potential. Since these figures are estimated from peer programs and the actual earnings decline by year four, you're working with considerable uncertainty about what this specific program delivers. Before committing, demand clear answers from the school about job placement, the types of roles graduates typically enter, and why outcomes might differ from stronger Illinois competitors just miles away.