Health and Medical Administrative Services at Gordon State College

Gordon State College's Health and Medical Administrative Services program shows graduates earning just $29,357 one year after completion—roughly $10,000 below Georgia's median for this field and $15,000 below the national average. At the 5th percentile nationally, these are among the lowest starting salaries for this degree anywhere in the country. While the program does rank at the 25th percentile within Georgia (performing better relative to other in-state options), it still trails most comparable programs by a significant margin.

The good news is that earnings do climb substantially over the next few years, reaching $41,037 by year four—a 40% increase that brings graduates closer to competitive salary levels. The debt load of $31,000 sits right at the national median, meaning the debt-to-earnings ratio starts concerning but improves as salaries grow. However, that initial year with earnings barely above $29,000 will make loan repayment challenging right out of the gate.

An important caveat: this data comes from a very small sample (under 30 graduates), so individual outcomes could vary considerably from these medians. For families considering this program, the math suggests a difficult first few years financially, even as prospects improve. If your child can find alternatives with stronger starting salaries—particularly at schools like Georgia Highlands College, which shows $40,000+ outcomes—those programs would offer a more comfortable launch into loan repayment.