Health/Medical Preparatory Programs at Umpqua Community College

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.29 suggests this certificate could make financial sense, though the figures come with a significant caveat. Both the $50,381 first-year earnings estimate and the $14,740 debt figure are derived from peer programs nationally—not from Umpqua's actual graduates. With only one school offering this certificate in Oregon and no state-level data to anchor expectations, it's difficult to know how this specific program performs in the local healthcare job market around Roseburg.

The national benchmark puts first-year earnings at around $50,000, which would make the estimated debt load manageable at roughly three months of gross income. For comparison, the strongest health preparatory programs nationally see earnings above $61,000. Whether Umpqua's certificate lands near the median or higher depends entirely on factors these estimates can't capture: the program's clinical partnerships, employer relationships in southern Oregon, and what specific healthcare roles graduates actually pursue.

The practical reality: you're considering a short-term credential with modest estimated debt but no track record of verified outcomes to evaluate. If your student has a clear path to a specific healthcare position—perhaps as a stepping stone toward nursing or another clinical role—and local employers recognize this certificate, the debt burden looks reasonable. Without that clarity, you're essentially betting on comparable program outcomes applying to a rural Oregon context where the healthcare job landscape may differ significantly from national norms.