Health and Medical Administrative Services at Ross Medical Education Center-Cincinnati

Ross Medical Education Center's program starts strong, with first-year earnings of $31,401 placing it above 80% of similar programs nationally and at the 60th percentile among Ohio's 85 medical administrative programs. The relatively modest debt load of $9,500—well below the state median of $12,496—makes this accessible for the school's predominantly Pell-eligible student body. However, there's a significant catch: earnings drop to $26,020 by year four, a 17% decline that's unusual for healthcare administration roles.

This earnings pattern matters because medical administrative work typically offers stable, if modest, career progression. The drop could reflect high turnover in entry-level positions or graduates moving between roles before finding their footing. Still, even with the decline, graduates carry manageable debt that represents less than half of their fourth-year earnings. For students from lower-income backgrounds seeking quick entry into healthcare support roles, the low upfront cost and immediate earning potential may justify the investment despite uncertain long-term trajectory.

The bottom line: This works as an affordable stepping stone into healthcare administration, particularly for students who need to start earning quickly. Just understand that maintaining those initial earnings may require active career management, and graduates at stronger programs like Stark State or UC's campuses do earn $8,000-$10,000 more annually by year four.