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

Ross Medical Education Center's certificate program serves students on a tight budget—nearly three-quarters receive Pell grants—and delivers something valuable in return: predictable employment with minimal debt. Graduates earn around $29,000 straight out of school, which beats both the Kentucky median ($26,638) and national average ($27,783) for these programs. The $9,500 debt load is notably lower than Kentucky's typical $14,850, making this one of the more affordable pathways into healthcare administration in the state.

The tradeoff is ceiling, not floor. Earnings essentially flatline after graduation, staying around $29,000 four years out. That's roughly $9,000 less than what graduates from Sullivan University or Jefferson Community and Technical College earn, suggesting this program gets you employed quickly but doesn't position you for significant advancement. For families prioritizing immediate job placement with manageable debt—particularly those who can't afford to take on $15,000+ in loans—that's a reasonable exchange.

This works best for students who need to start earning quickly and can supplement the certificate with experience or additional credentials later. The 60th percentile ranking among Kentucky programs and manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.33 make it a viable entry point into healthcare, just not a pathway to the field's higher-paying positions.