Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Pinnacle Career Institute

Pinnacle Career Institute's Allied Health program starts strong—graduates earn $31,980 in their first year, ranking in the 82nd percentile nationally—but then something troubling happens. By year four, earnings drop to $25,438, a 20% decline that raises questions about career trajectory and job stability in this field. The program costs $16,506 in debt, substantially more than both the Missouri median ($10,292) and the national average ($9,500), making this one of the pricier options in a field where credentials from community colleges and other programs often lead to similar outcomes.

Within Missouri, this picture becomes more complicated. The first-year earnings place Pinnacle in the 60th percentile statewide—solid but not exceptional—and the program costs $6,000 more than the state median while delivering only slightly higher initial earnings than Three Rivers College, which leads the state. The steep earnings decline after year four suggests graduates may be struggling to advance or maintain positions, which is particularly concerning given that 69% of students receive Pell grants and likely have limited financial cushion.

For parents weighing this investment, the high debt relative to state alternatives and the backward earnings trajectory make this a risky choice. Unless your child has specific reasons to attend Pinnacle over lower-cost Missouri programs with similar or better outcomes, the financial math doesn't favor this route into medical assisting.