Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Fortis College-Indianapolis

Fortis College-Indianapolis positions its medical assisting certificate in the middle of the pack—hitting exactly the 60th percentile both nationally and within Indiana. While that sounds acceptable, the numbers reveal a concerning pattern: graduates earn $28,653 their first year but see earnings slip to $28,120 by year four, suggesting limited career progression in roles that typically don't advance much beyond entry-level.

The debt picture offers some relief. At $11,466, graduates borrow slightly more than typical for this program, but with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.40, most will manage repayment within a year or two of focused effort. That's considerably better than many certificate programs. However, the real question is opportunity cost. Indiana's top medical assisting programs—Ivy Tech and Purdue Global—produce graduates earning $32,000-plus, roughly $4,000 more annually than Fortis. Over a decade, that gap amounts to $40,000 in lost income, far exceeding any tuition differences.

For families already committed to medical assisting, Fortis offers a viable path with manageable debt. But with 79% of students receiving Pell grants, most here are looking for economic mobility, and this program delivers modest results. If your child can access Ivy Tech (which offers similar convenience with superior outcomes), that's worth serious consideration before signing on here.