Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Lake Superior College

Lake Superior College graduates from this medical assisting program earn $43,188 in their first year—outpacing the national median by nearly $6,500 and landing in the 77th percentile nationally. Within Minnesota, however, the picture is more middle-of-the-pack: these earnings rank in the 60th percentile statewide, trailing programs like Northland Community and Technical College by a few thousand dollars. The debt burden of $26,611 sits right at Minnesota's median for this field, yielding a manageable 0.62 debt-to-earnings ratio that's better than many Allied Health programs nationally.

The concern here is the earnings trajectory: graduates see a 4% decline by year four, dropping to $41,654. This pattern suggests the first-year salary may represent a local market ceiling rather than a launching point for growth. For families in the Duluth area where healthcare employment is concentrated in a few major systems, this may simply reflect regional wage structures rather than program weakness.

Given the small sample size (under 30 graduates), these numbers could shift significantly year to year. But if your child plans to stay in northern Minnesota and values a solid starting salary with manageable debt, Lake Superior College delivers competitive results. Just don't expect dramatic salary increases in the years immediately following graduation—what you earn initially is likely what you'll earn for a while.