Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Northeast Texas Community College

Northeast Texas Community College graduates from this program earn around $40,000 annually—solidly above the national average for allied health associates but notably below what most Texas programs deliver. Among the state's 51 medical assisting programs, this one lands at the 40th percentile, with Texas graduates typically earning $44,000. The gap is even wider when compared to top Texas programs like Western Technical College ($54,000) or nearby Kilgore College ($52,000). That $4,000-5,000 annual shortfall adds up significantly over a career.

The advantage here is debt: at $13,500, it's roughly half what Texas students typically borrow for this credential. That keeps the debt-to-earnings ratio manageable at 0.34, meaning graduates can realistically pay this off within a few years even at the lower salary level. For families where minimizing student loans is the priority, this trade-off might make sense.

The concern is stagnant growth—earnings barely budge between year one and year four. Combined with the small sample size (under 30 graduates tracked), these numbers should be viewed cautiously. If your child is committed to staying in rural Northeast Texas where cost of living is lower, this program works. But if they're willing to commute or relocate slightly, programs like Kilgore or Navarro offer similar associate degrees with 25-30% higher earning potential for comparable debt loads.