Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at North Seattle College

North Seattle College's medical assisting certificate produces graduates earning nearly $50,000 in their first year—remarkably strong for a short-term credential. This puts the program in the 95th percentile nationally and 80th percentile among Washington programs, far exceeding both the national median of $27,186 and the Washington median of $37,096. Even among Washington's top programs, North Seattle ranks first by a significant margin.

The debt load of $16,867 is higher than the state and national medians (around $9,500), reflecting Seattle's cost of living. However, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.35 means graduates earn enough to make this manageable—they're bringing home roughly three times what they owe. The slight earnings dip by year four (-1%) is essentially flat and doesn't undermine the strong starting position.

For parents considering this program, the value proposition is clear: higher upfront costs deliver substantially higher earnings than nearly all comparable programs. Your child would enter the workforce making $11,000 more annually than the typical Washington medical assistant and $21,000 more than the national median. That premium easily justifies the additional debt, especially for a credential that takes less than two years to complete.