Health and Medical Administrative Services at Portland Community College

Portland Community College's health administration program significantly outperforms the national market, with first-year graduates earning $46,532—nearly $15,000 above the typical program and placing it in the 95th percentile nationally. The debt load of $28,402 is also well-managed, resulting in a 0.61 debt-to-earnings ratio that many bachelor's programs would envy. Earnings climb to $51,755 by year four, showing solid career momentum in a field where early plateaus are common.

Within Oregon, the picture is more nuanced. The program sits at the 60th percentile among the state's 11 offerings, meaning there are stronger options closer to home for Oregon residents. However, these state-level rankings can be misleading with such a small cohort of schools, and PCC's combination of reasonable debt and strong absolute earnings still represents good value—particularly for the 31% of students receiving Pell grants who need affordable pathways into healthcare careers.

For parents, this is a clear yes if healthcare administration appeals to your student. The earnings justify the investment from day one, and you're looking at a two-year credential that delivers a livable wage immediately and grows over time. The national ranking tells you this program is doing something right in preparing students for administrative roles that hospitals and clinics actually need.