Medical Assisting at Northland Community and Technical College

Thief River Falls, MN · Public · Associate Degree · Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services

with a smaller student body of 1,382 in Thief River Falls, MN.

Program Analysis

At $42,509 per year, Medical Assisting graduates from Northland Community and Technical College significantly outpace the $31,622 national average for this trade, reflecting strong employer demand for this program's graduates.

Every dollar of tuition returns an estimated 35.5x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Medical Assisting programs nationally.

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.

The median debt load of $11,500 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios in vocational education.

At #256 of 1,065 nationally, this is a top-5% Medical Assisting program. Financial outcomes consistently outperform the vast majority of peers.

Five-year earnings of $43,034 are relatively flat compared to the $42,509 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.

63 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
61
Low End
63
Score
64
High End
Earnings $42,509/yr (34% vs median)
AI-Proof Resilient (72% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (252,100 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$445K
1.0% annual growth
Earnings Multiple
35.5x
10-year earnings ÷ tuition
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.

Program Tuition
$12,524
Median Debt at Graduation
$11,500
3.2 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$43,034
1% 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

Explore what Medical Assisting graduates do, from entry-level roles to long-term career paths across 1065 programs nationwide.

Read the full Medical Assisting career guide →

Compare & Explore

Medical Assisting Overview

Medical Assisting at Other Schools

Other Majors at Northland Community and Technical College

How Does a Bachelor's Degree Compare?

Four-year programs take longer but may unlock different career trajectories. See the data.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a 63/100 TradeSchoolOutlook Score mean for Medical Assisting at Northland Community and Technical College?
A score of 63/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Medical Assisting field.
How affordable is Medical Assisting at Northland Community and Technical College?
Median debt of just $11,500 against $42,509/yr in starting salary means graduates can clear their loans in under 3 months. This is one of the more affordable paths in our dataset.
Is Northland Community and Technical College one of the best schools for Medical Assisting?
The #256 ranking out of 1,065 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable, and the job market supports this trade.
What apprenticeship pathways exist for Medical Assisting graduates?
The DOL recognizes 11 apprenticeship pathways related to Medical Assisting. For students weighing Northland Community and Technical College's program cost against alternatives, apprenticeships offer zero-tuition entry with paid employment from day one.
Is there demand for Medical Assisting workers?
The career paths mapped to Medical Assisting have roughly 252,100 combined annual openings nationally, making this a very large job market. Demand is driven by an aging population and expanding healthcare access.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →