Health and Medical Administrative Services at Meridian College

Meridian College's healthcare administrative certificate produces some of the strongest first-year earnings in Florida for this credential, but the small graduating cohort—fewer than 30 students—means these results may not be reliable predictors for future students. At $32,764, graduates earn nearly $5,000 above Florida's median for this program and rank in the 88th percentile nationally, though several Florida community colleges still report better outcomes.

The debt load of $14,750 translates to a 0.45 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates owe roughly five months of their first-year salary. That's higher than the state median of $9,500, though still manageable compared to many certificate programs. The college serves a predominantly Pell-eligible population (58%), suggesting it's successfully preparing lower-income students for entry-level healthcare administrative roles.

The critical unknown here is consistency. With such a small sample, these numbers could reflect a particularly strong cohort rather than typical program performance. If your child is considering this route, the higher debt compared to similar Florida programs—particularly state colleges like Seminole State or St. Petersburg College that report better earnings with presumably lower tuition—deserves scrutiny. Ask Meridian directly about job placement rates and whether recent outcomes match these figures before committing to costs that exceed typical community college alternatives.