Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Eastwick College-Hackensack

Eastwick College-Hackensack's medical assisting program costs relatively little to complete but delivers below-average results for New Jersey. With first-year earnings of $26,979, graduates earn about $900 less than the typical medical assisting program graduate in the state, landing in just the 40th percentile among New Jersey schools. That gap becomes more concerning when you see that other Eastwick campuses—in Ramsey and Nutley—produce graduates earning $5,000-6,000 more annually, suggesting location or campus-specific factors significantly impact outcomes.

The upside here is manageable debt. At $10,649, the debt load is slightly above the state median but still results in a reasonable 0.39 debt-to-earnings ratio—you're borrowing less than four months of first-year salary. Earnings do grow 11% by year four, reaching nearly $30,000, though that's still modest income for someone entering their late twenties. The program serves a predominantly low-income population (76% receive Pell grants), which may explain some of the conservative outcomes.

For parents weighing this option, understand that medical assisting certificates are accessible entry points to healthcare, but this particular campus underperforms its peers. If your child can commute to Eastwick's Ramsey campus instead, the earnings premium would be worth the extra travel time. Otherwise, this program offers a low-risk credential with correspondingly modest returns—good for someone who needs to start working quickly without substantial debt, but not a standout investment.