Health and Medical Administrative Services at Northwest Technical College - Bemidji
MN · Certificate Degree · CIP 51.07
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Health and Medical Administrative Services degree from Northwest Technical College - Bemidji earn a median salary of $38,886 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MN, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $41,324. The degree typically pays for itself in 28.3 years.
Quick Insights
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
$28,464
Typical Career
$38,886
Top Performers
$47,602
Estimated break-even: 28.3 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$259
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,241. Most students can comfortably afford about a $259 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.0x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.5x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Minnesota buys what costs $0.94 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Construction, Manufacturing.
Where Certificate Graduates from This School Work
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
$41,324
Nominal: $38,886 in Minnesota (COL 94.1% of national avg) · 6.3% higher 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).
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 | $23,656 | $31,993 | $39,556 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $28,464 | $38,886 | $47,602 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $41,079 | $46,845 | $55,181 |
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 $38,886 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in MN, which has a cost-of-living index of 94.1% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $38,886 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9410)
= $41,324 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The primary industries for graduates are predominantly within Health Care & Social Assistance, with 62.4% entering this sector immediately after graduation. This trend continues with 59.8% and 24.1% of graduates remaining in similar roles over the following years. Considering the estimated break-even point of approximately 28.3 years compared to a high school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing this degree appears favorable, particularly given the stability and growth potential within the health care sector.
Compare with Another School
See how the Health and Medical Administrative Services degree at Northwest Technical College - Bemidji stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
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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.