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

Kent State delivers solid first-year earnings of $40,671 for its allied health program—beating Ohio's median by 15% and ranking in the 60th percentile statewide. Among 53 Ohio programs, this places Kent State among the stronger options, though Cincinnati State edges slightly ahead. The debt load of $28,878 is higher than the state median but still manageable at 0.71 times first-year earnings, meaning graduates typically earn more than their debt within their first year of work.

The concern here is stagnation: earnings barely budge from year one to year four, growing just 1% to $41,248. While allied health roles often start with decent pay, this flat trajectory suggests graduates may be hitting a ceiling without further credentials or specialization. For context, the national 75th percentile for this program is $42,544—a level Kent State graduates essentially match but don't exceed even after four years in the field.

The program works if your child wants stable employment quickly after graduation—the debt-to-earnings ratio shows it's not a crushing financial burden. But this isn't a path to significantly higher income without additional training or career pivots. If your student is using this as a stepping stone to further education in healthcare, that makes sense. As a terminal degree for long-term career growth, the flat earnings curve is worth considering carefully.