Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Kent State University at East Liverpool

Kent State East Liverpool's allied health program delivers above-average earnings right out of the gate—$40,671 puts graduates near the top 10% of similar programs nationwide and ahead of the typical Ohio graduate by about $5,300. The debt load of $28,878 is higher than most competitors (9th percentile nationally), but with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.71, graduates still start with manageable obligations relative to their income. Among Ohio's 53 programs, this ranks solidly above the state median.

The concern here is stagnation: earnings barely budge over the first four years, growing only 1% while graduates at stronger programs typically see meaningful wage progression. This suggests the program may lead to entry-level roles with limited advancement potential, even as other Kent State campuses show identical first-year outcomes. With 100+ graduates in the dataset, this flat trajectory appears to be the norm rather than an outlier.

For families, this makes sense if your student wants stable, immediate employment in healthcare support roles without accumulating bachelor's-degree-level debt. The program gets graduates working quickly at respectable wages. Just understand you're paying a premium in debt for what looks like a career with an early ceiling—make sure that tradeoff aligns with long-term goals.