Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Herkimer County Community College

Herkimer's allied health program punches well above its weight for New York state, landing in the 80th percentile among 46 competing programs—notable when you consider the state median for this degree is just $32,890. Graduates here earn $42,322 in their first year, nearly $10,000 more than typical New York peers, while carrying about $3,000 less debt. The 0.41 debt-to-earnings ratio means students borrow less than half of what they'll earn in year one, a manageable starting point for a two-year degree.

The catch is sample size—fewer than 30 graduates reported data, so individual circumstances can skew these numbers significantly. Still, the pattern is encouraging: Herkimer outperforms the national median for this program by roughly $5,500 while keeping debt moderate. For families looking at SUNY community colleges, this represents solid value, particularly compared to the state's median debt of $20,262 for the same credential.

If your child is committed to allied health work and lives within commuting distance, Herkimer delivers competitive outcomes without the debt load of pricier alternatives. Just recognize that earnings top out quickly in medical assisting roles—what you see at graduation is close to the ceiling—so this works best as either a stepping stone to further credentials or a stable career for someone comfortable with that income level.