Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Pima Community College

Drawing on comparable allied health programs across Arizona, this associate's degree tracks toward first-year earnings around $47,390—meaningfully above the national median of $36,862 for similar credentials. With estimated debt of $17,606, the 0.37 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests graduates could reasonably manage their loans, particularly compared to the Arizona median debt of $29,360 for these programs. That said, other community colleges in the state like GateWay report slightly higher earnings for their graduates, so Pima isn't necessarily delivering the strongest outcomes in its market.

The real uncertainty here is program-specific. These estimates come from statewide trends because Pima's graduate cohort was too small to publish, meaning we don't know how *this particular program* performs compared to peers. The field itself appears stable—medical assisting roles consistently employ graduates—but without actual outcome data from Pima, you're making assumptions based on what similar programs typically produce.

For anxious parents, the numbers suggest reasonable value if your student plans to work immediately after graduation and stay in Arizona's healthcare market. But before committing, verify what specific certifications this program offers (CMA vs. other credentials matters for earnings) and whether Pima provides job placement support that could close the gap with higher-earning programs nearby. The debt load is manageable; the question is whether this particular pathway maximizes employability.