Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Rend Lake College

Similar programs in Illinois suggest graduates with this credential typically earn around $40,000 in their first year—a solid figure that aligns with the state median for allied health associate programs and exceeds the national benchmark by about $3,000. The estimated debt load of roughly $17,000 translates to a manageable 0.42 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates would owe less than half their first-year salary. For comparison, peer programs across Illinois report debt in this same range while some top-performing community colleges see their graduates earning $46,000 to $52,000.

The challenge here is transparency: because Rend Lake has too few graduates to report specific outcomes, we're working from estimates based on comparable Illinois programs rather than this school's actual track record. That's not a red flag about the program itself—small cohorts are common in allied health—but it does mean you're betting on how well Rend Lake prepares students relative to other community colleges in the state.

The fundamentals look reasonable for an entry-level healthcare credential. If Rend Lake's outcomes match the state average, your child would start with modest debt and immediate earning power in a stable field. The risk is whether this specific program connects students to higher-paying opportunities like those at Oakton or South Suburban, or whether outcomes land below the state median. Visit the campus, talk to recent graduates, and ask about clinical placement sites and job placement rates before committing.