Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Mildred Elley School-Albany Campus

Mildred Elley's medical assisting program commands higher debt than typical—$20,000 versus $8,200 statewide—but the earnings justify it. Graduates earn $35,951 in their first year, placing this program in the 95th percentile nationally and 80th percentile among New York programs. That's nearly $8,000 above the state median for this credential and roughly $9,000 above the national median. The school ties for top earnings among all 32 New York programs offering this certificate, matching its sister campus in New York City.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.56 means graduates earn nearly twice what they owe, a manageable burden that most can pay down within a few years. For context, 80% of students here receive Pell grants, suggesting the school serves predominantly lower-income students who need credentials that translate directly to wages. Medical assisting offers exactly that—immediate employment in healthcare settings with clear career paths.

The premium price makes sense given the premium outcome. While your child could find cheaper certificates elsewhere in New York, few deliver comparable first-year earnings. For a family prioritizing quick entry to stable healthcare work, this represents solid value despite the above-average borrowing.