Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at South Louisiana Community College

South Louisiana Community College's medical assisting program sits squarely in the middle of Louisiana's pack—ranking at the 40th percentile statewide—but trails the national median by nearly $5,000 in first-year earnings. Students here start at $22,058, climbing to $25,735 after four years, while comparable graduates at Delgado Community College in New Orleans earn $29,905 right out of the gate. That $7,800 gap is substantial when you're earning in the low-twenties.

The debt picture is manageable at $9,500, representing less than half of first-year earnings, which keeps monthly payments reasonable. The 17% earnings growth over four years shows steady progress, though graduates remain below the $27,186 national median even after that increase. For context, nearly half the student body receives Pell grants, suggesting this serves working-class families for whom every earnings dollar matters.

If your child can access similar programs at Delgado or Baton Rouge Community College without relocating, those options deliver 15-30% higher starting salaries for comparable debt. If Lafayette's location works best for your family, this program won't saddle your child with crushing debt, but understand they'll likely start their career earning less than medical assistants at other Louisiana schools and will need to seek advancement opportunities to reach typical national pay levels.