Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Montgomery College

Based on comparable programs in Maryland, this medical assisting associate's degree appears to position graduates near the middle of the pack with estimated first-year earnings around $40,345—slightly above the national median for the field but trailing stronger Maryland programs like Carroll Community College by nearly $10,000. The estimated debt load of $18,445 translates to a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.46, meaning graduates would owe less than half their first-year salary.

The practical math works in favor of this program. Medical assisting offers relatively stable employment prospects, and carrying under $20,000 in debt for entry into a healthcare field that doesn't require a bachelor's degree represents a reasonable investment. Similar Maryland programs show graduates typically earn enough to make monthly loan payments feasible, though those considering this path should recognize the earnings ceiling appears lower than some peer institutions in the state.

Since these figures draw from just three comparable Maryland programs, your best move is requesting actual placement data directly from Montgomery College's program director—specifically, where recent graduates are working and their starting salaries. The estimates suggest solid value, but the limited data means you're making decisions with less certainty than ideal. If Montgomery College can't provide concrete outcomes from their own graduates, that gap itself tells you something important.