Medical Assisting at CET-Santa Maria

Santa Maria, CA · Private nonprofit · Certificate · Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services

with a smaller student body of 125 in Santa Maria, CA.

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $32,056 track close to the $31,622 national median for Medical Assisting programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

Some AI exposure exists in Medical Assisting's career paths, with 28% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 0% gap from the optimistic case.

At $6,246 in median debt against $32,056 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance quickly — a hallmark of affordable trade programs.

At #413 of 1,065 Medical Assisting programs, CET-Santa Maria scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.

Five-year earnings of $33,140 are relatively flat compared to the $32,056 starting salary — typical of trades with stable but capped salary bands.

Medical Assisting offers 11 registered apprenticeship pathways — an unusually broad set of earn-while-you-learn alternatives to the classroom track.

57 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
52
Low End
57
Score
57
High End
Earnings $32,056/yr (1% vs median)
AI-Proof Resilient (72% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (252,100 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$335K
1.0% annual growth
Viable Career Paths
9 of 9
Occupations with strong AI resilience

Projected 10-Year Earnings

Based on actual graduate salary data and Bureau of Labor Statistics growth projections.

Median Debt at Graduation
$6,246
2.3 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$33,140
3% growth from Year 1

Top Career Paths

Top career paths for Medical Assisting graduates by median salary.

Career Path Median Salary Growth AI-ProofAI
Health specialties teachers, postsecondary $105,620 +17.3% 52%
Occupational therapy assistants $68,340 +19.2% 73%
Physical therapist assistants $65,510 +22.0% 85%
Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
$105,620
+17.3% growth 52% AI-proof
Occupational therapy assistants
$68,340
+19.2% growth 73% AI-proof
Physical therapist assistants
$65,510
+22.0% growth 85% AI-proof

View all 9 career paths with full salary data →

Medical Assisting Career Guide

Medical Assisting opens doors to multiple career tracks. Our pillar guide covers every mapped occupation with salary data and AI resilience ratings.

Read the full Medical Assisting career guide →

Compare & Explore

Medical Assisting Overview

Medical Assisting at Other Schools

Other Majors at CET-Santa Maria

Considering a 4-Year Degree Instead?

Compare how bachelor's degree graduates fare on earnings, ROI, and AI resilience.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the TradeSchoolOutlook Score for Medical Assisting at CET-Santa Maria?
At 57/100, CET-Santa Maria's Medical Assisting program delivers middling returns. School cost and personal fit become important decision factors.
How affordable is Medical Assisting at CET-Santa Maria?
Median debt of just $6,246 against $32,056/yr in starting salary means graduates can clear their loans in under 2 months. This is one of the more affordable paths in our dataset.
Can I learn Medical Assisting through an apprenticeship instead of CET-Santa Maria?
Beyond CET-Santa Maria's classroom route, 11 registered apprenticeships map to Medical Assisting careers — including Ambulance Attendant (Emt). Apprenticeships trade shorter program length for longer on-the-job training, typically 2-4 years.
Is there demand for Medical Assisting workers?
At 252,100 annual openings, Medical Assisting has a very large employment base. CET-Santa Maria graduates benefit from broad demand, particularly given an aging population and expanding healthcare access.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →