Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at State Career College

State Career College's medical assisting program starts graduates at $26,123—well below what similar programs across Illinois typically deliver. Among the state's 50 medical assisting programs, this ranks in just the 25th percentile, meaning three-quarters of Illinois programs produce better first-year outcomes. Nearby community colleges like College of DuPage ($40,196) and Harper College ($36,111) show that students can earn 50% more right out of the gate with similar credentials, often at comparable or lower cost.

The upside here is meaningful earnings growth: graduates see their income jump 29% by year four, reaching $33,601. That trajectory helps justify the modest $9,500 debt load, which stays manageable with a 0.36 debt-to-earnings ratio. For the predominantly Pell-eligible students here (76%), that relatively low debt matters—they're not taking on crushing loans for a credential that eventually pays reasonably well.

The central question is whether settling for $26,000 initially makes sense when other Illinois programs start you $10,000 higher. If location or program availability limits your options, the strong earnings growth provides a path forward. But if you can access one of the higher-performing community college programs in the Chicago area, those deliver better value from day one with similar debt levels and likely lower tuition for in-district students.