Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Piedmont Technical College

Piedmont Technical College's allied health certificate sits in the middle of South Carolina's competitive medical assistant landscape—performing better than the state median but trailing several community college peers by roughly $2,000-$4,000 annually. At $29,599 four years out, graduates earn just above the state average, placing this program in the 60th percentile among the state's 19 similar programs. Those modest earnings relative to top-performing programs like Spartanburg CC ($32,200) are worth noting if your student has geographic flexibility.

The financial fundamentals work in this program's favor. With $12,292 in typical debt—matching the state median—graduates face a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.44, meaning they owe less than half their first-year salary. Nearly half of students receive Pell grants, suggesting the program serves working-class students who need affordable pathways to healthcare careers. Earnings show slight upward movement ($28,238 to $29,599), which is typical stability for medical assisting roles rather than dramatic growth.

For a one-year certificate leading to immediate employment in healthcare, these numbers represent reasonable value. Your student gets a quick credential with manageable debt and earnings that beat national averages. However, if they can access programs like Spartanburg or Midlands Technical College—which deliver 8-10% higher earnings—the geographic trade-off might be worth exploring.