Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Rasmussen University-North Dakota

Rasmussen's allied health program in North Dakota places graduates at the state median for earnings, but that's not necessarily reassuring—North Dakota has limited options for this field, and graduates here are earning notably less than the national median of $36,862. More concerning is the downward trajectory: earnings drop 7% between year one and year four, falling from $35,350 to just under $33,000. This pattern suggests these positions may offer limited advancement or that graduates struggle to find better opportunities over time.

The debt picture adds to these concerns. At $26,612, graduates carry significantly more than the national median of $19,825 for this program—placing this school in the 22nd percentile nationally for debt, meaning 78% of comparable programs send students into the field with less financial burden. Nearly half of students here receive Pell grants, indicating many families are already financially stretched before taking on this additional debt.

For anxious parents, the math is straightforward: your child would graduate owing three-quarters of their first-year salary, only to see that salary decline in subsequent years. Unless your family has strong ties to the Fargo area or specific career connections in allied health, programs elsewhere typically offer both lower debt loads and better earnings trajectories. The robust sample size confirms this isn't a data fluke—this is the actual student experience.