Health Professions at Mineral Area College

Similar health professions programs in Missouri show first-year earnings around $27,000, which makes Mineral Area College's estimated $35,000 figure—derived from national benchmarks—look promising on paper. However, there's meaningful risk in relying on national estimates when Missouri's healthcare labor market appears to pay considerably less than the national average for associate-level health professionals. The estimated debt of $15,440 is at least more favorable than what peer programs typically carry, sitting about $2,500 below national norms.

The 0.44 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests manageable repayment if those national earnings materialize locally. But the gap between Missouri's actual outcomes ($27,000) and the national estimate creates real uncertainty about whether graduates will face debt payments aligned with $35,000 in income or something closer to $27,000. That $8,000 difference changes the financial equation substantially—it's the difference between comfortable payments and potentially stretched budgets in those critical early career years.

Given that 31% of students here receive Pell grants, many families can't afford to gamble on which earnings scenario plays out. Before committing, contact the program directly to learn which specific health professions they prepare students for and what their actual graduates are earning locally. The estimation here reflects broad national patterns that may not match Park Hills's regional healthcare economy.