Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Olympic College

Based on comparable allied health certificate programs across Washington, Olympic College's path suggests first-year earnings around $37,096—putting graduates right at the state median for these credentials. That's $10,000 above the national median for medical assisting programs, reflecting Washington's stronger healthcare job market. However, the estimated debt of nearly $15,000 sits considerably higher than both the state median ($9,626) and national median ($9,500) for similar certificates.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.40 means graduates would owe roughly 40% of their first-year salary—manageable on paper, but concerning when you consider the compressed timeline of a certificate program. Peer Washington programs producing comparable earnings typically do so with significantly less borrowing. At North Seattle College, for instance, graduates earn $48,502, while similar credentials at other community colleges cluster around the same salary range but often with lower debt loads.

For parents, this means weighing whether Olympic College offers specific advantages—location, clinical partnerships, schedule flexibility—that justify potentially higher borrowing. The earnings trajectory appears solid for the region, but starting a healthcare career with $15,000 in debt from a short credential deserves scrutiny. Compare Olympic's actual costs and financial aid packages against nearby community college alternatives that might deliver the same labor market outcomes with less debt burden.