Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Concordia University-Wisconsin

The numbers here tell competing stories. Concordia's medical assisting certificate commands a 95th percentile national ranking with earnings of $34,372—impressive until you realize that in Wisconsin specifically, this sits squarely at the 40th percentile. The state's technical colleges dominate the field, with five schools producing graduates who earn $2,000-$3,000 more annually. That earnings gap may seem modest, but it's real money when you're starting at this income level.

The debt picture offers redemption: $14,250 represents just 41% of first-year earnings, well below concerning territory and ranking in the 11th percentile nationally for debt burden. Still, Wisconsin's median debt for this program is only $11,160, so you're paying a Concordia premium of about $3,000. Given that technical colleges outperform on both earnings and debt, the value proposition here is shaky unless location or specific program features matter tremendously to your family.

The critical caveat: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, making every data point more fragile. If Concordia offers something distinctive—better clinical placement opportunities, preferred scheduling, or connections to specific healthcare systems—that could justify the tradeoff. Otherwise, Wisconsin's technical college system appears to deliver stronger outcomes in this field at lower cost.