Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Empire College

Empire College's medical assisting certificate stands out sharply: graduates here earn $40,838 in their first year, placing this program in the 95th percentile both nationally and within California. That's $14,000 more than the typical California medical assisting graduate and even exceeds the top comparable programs in the state. The $13,213 in debt—while above the national median—translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.32, meaning graduates could theoretically pay off their loans in under four months of gross earnings.

The main concern is earnings stagnation. Four years out, graduates earn only $1,800 more than they did initially, suggesting this program reaches its earning ceiling quickly. However, given that first-year earnings already exceed what most medical assistants make at their career peak elsewhere, this may matter less in practice. You're essentially paying a premium upfront (about $3,700 more in debt than average) to start $14,000 ahead in annual earnings.

For families prioritizing quick entry into the workforce with strong immediate earnings, this program delivers measurably better outcomes than 95% of alternatives. The value isn't in long-term growth—it's in starting well above where others finish.