Health and Medical Administrative Services at Walters State Community College

Based on comparable Tennessee programs, this associate's degree suggests first-year earnings around $36,200—roughly matching the state median but outpacing the $31,700 national typical for health administration programs. That's a reasonable starting point for an administrative role in Tennessee's healthcare sector, where graduates typically move into medical office management, insurance coordination, or hospital administrative positions.

The debt picture looks more favorable here than at many peer institutions. While the estimated $20,400 in loans isn't trivial, it's notably lower than the $33,600 Tennessee median for similar programs and well below the national benchmark of $23,000. This creates a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.56—meaning your student would owe roughly half their first-year salary, which translates to manageable monthly payments relative to entry-level healthcare administrative pay. Tennessee programs in this field span a wide range, from Nashville State's $40,000 outcomes to Miller-Motte's $28,500, so specific school choice matters.

The challenge is that these figures come from only three Tennessee programs, not from Walters State's actual graduates, making it hard to predict whether this particular program tracks closer to Nashville State's stronger outcomes or falls somewhere in the middle. For families where keeping debt low matters—especially the 28% receiving Pell grants—this appears positioned as a practical path into healthcare administration, but verify the program's job placement track record and employer connections in the Morristown area before committing.