Health and Medical Administrative Services at West Virginia Junior College-United Career Institute

With a small sample size, these numbers need careful interpretation, but here's what stands out: this certificate program carries relatively low debt ($8,635 versus a Pennsylvania median of $14,426 for similar programs), yet graduates still earn below-average salaries. At $27,387 first year out, earnings fall in the 40th percentile among Pennsylvania's 47 health administration certificate programs—trailing competitors like Pittsburgh Technical College by nearly $8,000 annually.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.32 looks manageable on paper, but context matters. While students avoid the crushing debt loads seen elsewhere, they're also entering the workforce earning $4,000 to $11,000 less than graduates from top Pennsylvania programs in the same field. That gap compounds over time: an extra $6,000 annually over a decade represents $60,000 in lost income, far outweighing any initial savings on tuition.

For a family evaluating this program, the trade-off is clear: lower upfront costs but weaker earning potential in a field where better-performing options exist within the state. Given that 75% of students here receive Pell grants, affordability clearly matters to this population—but even budget-conscious families should compare carefully against community college alternatives that deliver similar or better outcomes at comparable cost.