Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Southern Careers Institute-Austin

This Allied Health program at Southern Careers Institute-Austin presents concerning value compared to other options in Texas and nationally. With median first-year earnings of $21,645, graduates earn significantly less than both the Texas state median ($24,563) and national median ($27,186) for similar programs. The program ranks in just the 5th percentile nationally, meaning 95% of comparable programs across the country produce better earnings outcomes.

The debt picture is more reasonable at $9,500, which matches both state and national medians for this field, resulting in a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.44. However, the earnings growth over four years is minimal—just $1,500 more by year four. When you compare this to top Texas programs like Houston Community College ($35,469) or Lone Star College System ($33,233), the earnings gap becomes stark—graduates from those programs earn 60-65% more in their first year.

For an anxious parent, the numbers suggest looking elsewhere. While the debt load isn't excessive, the dramatically lower earnings potential means your child would likely struggle financially compared to peers from stronger programs in Texas. The robust sample size makes these figures reliable, so this isn't a data quirk. Consider the higher-performing community college options in Texas, which offer similar training with significantly better career prospects.