Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at St Louis College of Health Careers-Fenton

Earning $26,000 a year after completing this program makes sense only if you view it as an entry point, not a destination. St. Louis College of Health Careers' medical assisting certificate sits below both the national median ($27,186) and Missouri's median ($28,468) for these programs, landing squarely in the 40th percentile both statewide and nationally. The positive angle? Graduates see 9% earnings growth by year four, and the $10,292 in typical debt remains manageable at 40% of first-year income—meaning graduates can realistically pay this down in a few years.

The tougher reality is that comparable Missouri programs deliver noticeably better outcomes. Three Rivers College graduates earn $35,722, while several other in-state options clear $29,000. Your child would be entering a field with limited immediate earning power, serving a predominantly low-income student body (60% receive Pell grants), at a school that appears to accept all applicants. Medical assisting can lead somewhere—the 9% wage growth suggests career progression is possible—but this particular program starts you further behind than most alternatives.

If medical assisting is the goal, push your child to explore those higher-earning Missouri programs first. The debt load here won't crush them, but neither will the earnings impress, and starting $3,000-$10,000 higher annually makes a real difference when you're living on $26,000.