ROI Major

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services at Great Falls College Montana State University

MT · Associate's Degree · CIP 51.08

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services degree from Great Falls College Montana State University earn a median salary of $52,354 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MT, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $50,292. The degree typically pays for itself in 12.1 years.

Quick Insights

Slow Burn / High Debt Risk

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$39,793

Typical Career

$52,354

Top Performers

$64,204

Estimated break-even: 12.1 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$349

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,363. Most students can comfortably afford about a $349 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.3x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Montana buys what costs $1.04 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Retail Trade.

Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 45.9%
Educational Services 8.6%
Retail Trade 8.1%

Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$50,292

Nominal: $52,354 in Montana (COL 104.1% of national avg) · 3.9% lower purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

12.1 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $32,187 $42,719 $52,929
5 Years After Graduation $39,793 $52,354 $64,204
10 Years After Graduation $41,244 $55,464 $64,175

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $52,354 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in MT, which has a cost-of-living index of 104.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $52,354 × (1.0 ÷ 1.0410) = $50,292 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates from the Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services program at Great Falls College Montana State University can expect a positive earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $42,719.00, increasing to $52,354.00 five years later, and reaching $55,464.00 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent nationally is approximately $50,292.03, indicating that graduates can maintain a competitive income relative to national standards, despite the cost of living index in Montana being slightly higher at 1.041.

The majority of graduates enter the Health Care & Social Assistance sector, with 45.9% in this field one year after graduation, and a consistent presence in the industry over the following years. The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 12.1 years, suggesting that while the initial investment in education may take over a decade to recoup, the long-term benefits in terms of earnings and job stability in a growing industry can be substantial. Overall, the return on investment appears favorable for those pursuing this career path.

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Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.