Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Madison Area Technical College

Madison Area Technical College charges significantly more than typical medical assisting programs—$16,875 versus the national median of $9,500—but the premium doesn't translate into premium earnings. At $34,484, graduates match Wisconsin's median exactly and actually trail several other Wisconsin technical colleges, some of which charge less. You're paying 78% more in debt than the national average for outcomes that are merely middle-of-the-pack within the state.

The national perspective looks better—this program ranks in the 95th percentile compared to medical assisting programs nationwide. But that's largely because Wisconsin programs as a whole outperform other states, not because Madison Area Technical College excels within Wisconsin. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49 means borrowers face about six months of gross income in debt, which is manageable, though programs like Blackhawk Technical College deliver $2,700 more in first-year earnings.

If your child has been accepted to multiple Wisconsin technical colleges for medical assisting, the numbers suggest looking at schools where earnings run $36,000+. Madison Area Technical College delivers solid outcomes but not exceptional value given its above-average debt load. In a field where technical colleges produce remarkably similar graduates, paying more should mean earning more—and here, it doesn't.