Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Ogeechee Technical College

At under $8,000 in debt, this medical assisting program keeps borrowing manageable, but the earnings tell a tougher story. Graduates earn around $23,400 initially—roughly $4,000 below Georgia's median for these programs and nearly $4,000 below the national benchmark. While Ogeechee Technical sits at the 40th percentile statewide, that still means three-fifths of Georgia's medical assisting programs deliver stronger starting salaries. The top programs in the state, like Southern Crescent Technical and Lanier Technical, produce graduates earning $8,000-$10,000 more annually.

The moderate debt load offers some protection here. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.33, graduates can likely manage their loans even on these lower salaries. Earnings show modest growth to about $24,300 by year four, but this barely keeps pace with inflation and won't dramatically improve financial positioning. For a program serving 42% Pell-eligible students, the combination of accessible debt and immediate job placement matters—even if the paychecks lag peer institutions.

If your child is committed to staying local in Statesboro, this certificate provides affordable entry into healthcare work. But families with flexibility should compare options: driving distance to Savannah Technical College, for instance, could mean $7,000-$8,000 more in annual earning power for roughly the same investment. That difference compounds significantly over a career.