Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Fortis College-Smyrna

Comparable Allied Health programs in Georgia suggest first-year earnings around $40,110, which would put this program right at the state median. But that four-year earnings figure of $25,108 tells a different story—a nearly $15,000 drop that raises questions about whether graduates are staying in their field or finding sustainable career paths. This isn't the typical earnings trajectory you'd expect from a healthcare program, where skills and experience usually translate to steady or growing wages.

The estimated $25,563 in debt—derived from similar for-profit programs nationally—would be manageable if that initial earnings estimate holds and graduates maintain employment in their field. At a 0.64 debt-to-earnings ratio, you're looking at debt roughly equivalent to eight months of gross pay. However, Georgia's technical colleges are producing significantly better outcomes: Athens Tech and Chattahoochee Tech graduates earn in the low-to-mid $40,000s, often with lower debt loads at public institutions.

The declining earnings pattern is the real concern here. If your child plans to pursue this program, you need to understand why four-year earnings are so much lower than the first-year estimate. Are graduates transitioning to part-time work? Leaving the field entirely? With 73% of students receiving Pell grants, this program serves a population that can least afford a credential that doesn't deliver on its economic promise. Before committing, compare actual job placement rates and graduate outcomes against Georgia's public technical colleges offering similar training.