Health and Medical Administrative Services at Durham Technical Community College

Durham Tech's Health and Medical Administrative Services certificate posts astonishing first-year earnings of $70,267—more than double the state median and nearly triple the national average. Among 59 North Carolina programs and over 1,300 nationally, it ranks in the 95th percentile. At $25,000 in debt with a 0.36 debt-to-earnings ratio, graduates could feasibly pay off their loans in under a year if aggressive about it. This looks like an exceptional opportunity on paper.

However, the small sample size—fewer than 30 graduates—means these numbers could swing dramatically with just a few high or low earners. More troubling is the sharp earnings decline to $55,326 by year four, a 21% drop that's unusual for healthcare administration roles. This pattern suggests graduates may be landing unusually high-paying positions initially that don't sustain, or the limited sample is capturing an unrepresentative cohort.

The safer comparison point is those top-performing NC programs like Wake Tech ($34,372), which show more typical outcomes for this field. If your child can replicate Durham Tech's results, it's a home run. But given the volatility suggested by that small sample and earnings decline, parents should dig deeper—talk to the program directly about job placement specifics and where graduates actually work. The data hints at exceptional value, but it needs verification before betting on it.