Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Hudson County Community College

With estimated debt around $25,125 against first-year earnings near $37,762, this program's financial profile appears manageable but not exceptional for New Jersey. Based on peer programs across the state, graduates typically earn slightly above the national median for allied health associates—but that's before considering that you're paying above-average debt for those outcomes. The estimated debt here exceeds both the state and national medians for this field, which means you're likely taking on more financial risk than students at comparable programs.

The challenge becomes clearer when you look at what other New Jersey community colleges report for their allied health programs. Essex County College graduates, for instance, earn $54,592 in their first year—nearly $17,000 more than what similar programs suggest for Hudson County students. Even Union County College shows substantially stronger earnings at $48,332. That earnings gap matters when you're servicing debt that's already higher than typical.

For families where 56% qualify for Pell grants, that debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.67 translates to meaningful monthly payments against entry-level wages. The safer play would be exploring neighboring community colleges with documented stronger outcomes in this field, where you'd likely pay less and position yourself for higher initial earnings in the same competitive New Jersey healthcare market.