Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Haywood Community College

The estimated debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.54 suggests a manageable financial burden upfront, but a troubling detail emerges in year four: earnings drop to $23,478—nearly $11,000 below the first-year estimate. This decline is unusual for healthcare programs, where wages typically grow with experience. It raises questions about whether graduates are finding full-time positions in their field or facing limited career advancement in rural western North Carolina's healthcare market.

Similar programs across North Carolina show stronger trajectories. Top performers like Martin Community College and Southwestern Community College report first-year earnings above $42,000—roughly $7,000 higher than the state median Haywood's estimates are based on. Even the statewide median of $34,923 assumes stability or growth, not the contraction visible here. At $18,702, the estimated debt aligns with state norms and sits below the national median, which provides some cushion, but only if graduates can maintain earnings near that initial $34,923 figure.

For parents, the year-four earnings dip is the critical data point. Before committing, you'd want to understand why that drop occurs—whether it reflects local employment realities, part-time work patterns, or something else entirely. The debt is reasonable for an associate degree in healthcare, but only if the career path leads somewhere sustainable. Without clearer evidence of earnings stability, this program carries more financial uncertainty than comparable options elsewhere in the state.