Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Concorde Career College-Kansas City

Concorde Career College's allied health program delivers earnings that put most community college alternatives to shame. At nearly $50,000 in first-year earnings, graduates here are outearning peers at State Technical College of Missouri by $8,000 and lapping the typical Missouri medical assistant by 37%. Among 26 Missouri programs, this ranks in the 80th percentile—and nationally, it's in the 95th percentile.

The tradeoff is upfront cost: $27,000 in debt versus $18,000 at other Missouri schools. But run the math—that extra $9,000 in debt buys you $13,000 more in annual earnings right out of the gate. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.54 means graduates can feasibly pay off loans in under two years of focused repayment, assuming they live modestly. By year four, earnings climb to $52,302, widening the advantage over cheaper alternatives even further.

This is what a premium-priced program should look like: measurably better outcomes that justify the higher tuition. For students serious about maximizing earning power in medical assisting, the investment pencils out clearly. The caveat is that Concorde's open-door admissions mean success depends entirely on student follow-through—the school will take your money regardless of commitment level.