Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Community College of Denver

With estimated debt around $17,600 and first-year earnings of roughly $43,500—both figures drawn from peer programs—this Associate's degree presents workable numbers on paper. The debt burden is meaningfully lower than what similar programs typically carry nationally ($19,825), and the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.40 suggests graduates could reasonably manage repayment. Colorado's Allied Health market appears relatively strong, with the state median for these programs ($43,514) running well above the national figure ($36,862).

The challenge with Community College of Denver's program is the limited visibility. While comparable Colorado programs at schools like Concorde Career College-Aurora report first-year earnings approaching $50,000, and several community colleges land graduates in the $42,000-$43,000 range, we're working from estimates rather than this school's actual track record. The program serves a substantial Pell grant population (31%), which matters for families counting every dollar, but without concrete outcomes data, you're essentially betting that CCD's graduates will perform like their peers across the state.

Given the estimates cluster around Colorado's median and the debt load appears manageable, this program could work—but only if your child confirms that graduates are actually finding medical assisting positions locally. Talk to the career services office and ask for placement rates and employer connections before committing.