Health/Medical Preparatory Programs: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 51.11. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 684 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 104 | 1,103 | $34,451 | $54,229 | $17,948 10 programs |
| Associate's degree | 209 | 3,259 | $36,179 | $51,711 | $11,493 27 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 243 | 3,669 | $36,985 | $61,911 | $22,814 48 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 28 | 0 | $32,283 | $63,593 | $25,500 6 programs |
| Master's degree | 32 | 406 | $34,593 | $72,125 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 3 | 6 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) | 2 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 63 | 550 | $25,819 | $69,507 | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Undergraduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trident Technical College SC · Public · 22 graduates measured | $34,637 | $52,550 | $14,625 |
| University of Cincinnati-Main Campus OH · Public · 25 graduates measured | $34,079 | Data unavailable | $24,625 |
| Midlands Technical College SC · Public · 90 graduates measured | $31,348 | $47,295 | $18,396 |
| Northeastern Technical College SC · Public · 44 graduates measured | $28,925 | Data unavailable | $9,500 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Alaska Anchorage AK · Public · 116 graduates measured | $85,440 | $90,501 | $25,932 |
| Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College NC · Public · 21 graduates measured | $74,406 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Atlantic Cape Community College NJ · Public · 37 graduates measured | $44,870 | $56,722 | $11,000 |
| Skyline College CA · Public · 36 graduates measured | $44,402 | $67,805 | Data unavailable |
| Gavilan College CA · Public · 20 graduates measured | $39,701 | $58,344 | $9,500 |
| Mendocino College CA · Public · 32 graduates measured | $39,370 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| College of the Desert CA · Public · 30 graduates measured | $38,801 | Data unavailable | $9,077 |
| South College TN · Private, for-profit · 118 graduates measured | $35,443 | Data unavailable | $26,497 |
| Tulsa Community College OK · Public · 65 graduates measured | $35,312 | $52,465 | $17,740 |
| Three Rivers College MO · Public · 41 graduates measured | $35,250 | $40,141 | $14,500 |
| Diablo Valley College CA · Public · 23 graduates measured | $34,949 | $54,934 | $10,500 |
| Essex County College NJ · Public · 92 graduates measured | $34,552 | $46,812 | $6,474 |
| Merced College CA · Public · 20 graduates measured | $32,944 | Data unavailable | $9,611 |
| Wharton County Junior College TX · Public · 19 graduates measured | $31,091 | $77,355 | $9,628 |
| Georgia Military College GA · Public · 106 graduates measured | $30,640 | $46,551 | $14,500 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus CO · Public · 32 graduates measured | $46,742 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| South College TN · Private, for-profit · 19 graduates measured | $44,546 | Data unavailable | $43,638 |
| Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania PA · Public · 50 graduates measured | $42,463 | $73,383 | $23,500 |
| Colorado Christian University CO · Private, nonprofit · 19 graduates measured | $42,321 | Data unavailable | $18,000 |
| Dominican University IL · Private, nonprofit · 23 graduates measured | $42,281 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Indiana University-Indianapolis IN · Public · 33 graduates measured | $42,061 | $62,442 | $19,305 |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion AZ · Public · 401 graduates measured | $41,642 | $55,043 | $22,681 |
| Arizona State University Digital Immersion AZ · Public · 401 graduates measured | $41,642 | $55,043 | $22,681 |
| Kent State University at Ashtabula OH · Public · 24 graduates measured | $41,563 | $57,360 | $25,000 |
| Kent State University at Kent OH · Public · 24 graduates measured | $41,563 | $57,360 | $25,000 |
| Coppin State University MD · Public · 16 graduates measured | $40,163 | $64,090 | $29,000 |
| Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences MA · Private, nonprofit · 83 graduates measured | $39,574 | $90,224 | $27,000 |
| Northern Illinois University IL · Public · 130 graduates measured | $39,127 | $55,778 | $25,781 |
| Saginaw Valley State University MI · Public · 17 graduates measured | $38,951 | $53,376 | $29,500 |
| Oregon State University OR · Public · 114 graduates measured | $37,270 | $55,245 | $18,083 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Post-baccalaureate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| College of Our Lady of the Elms MA · Private, nonprofit · 21 graduates measured | $42,543 | $36,174 | $31,605 |
| San Francisco State University CA · Public · 43 graduates measured | $27,125 | Data unavailable | $31,000 |
| George Washington University DC · Private, nonprofit · 21 graduates measured | $25,518 | Data unavailable | $25,000 |
| Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science CA · Private, nonprofit · 20 graduates measured | $15,692 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regis College MA · Private, nonprofit · 36 graduates measured | $73,461 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine PA · Private, nonprofit · 73 graduates measured | $33,057 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Vermont VT · Public · 20 graduates measured | $30,868 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Eastern Virginia Medical School · Public · 36 graduates measured | $21,232 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Old Dominion University VA · Public · 36 graduates measured | $21,232 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Graduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of California-San Francisco CA · Public · 23 graduates measured | $32,169 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Goucher College MD · Private, nonprofit · 20 graduates measured | $26,016 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
Data unavailable No occupations are mapped to this field in the official crosswalk.
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (11)
- 51.1101 Pre-Dentistry Studies
- 51.1102 Pre-Medicine/Pre-Medical Studies
- 51.1103 Pre-Pharmacy Studies
- 51.1105 Pre-Nursing Studies
- 51.1106 Pre-Chiropractic Studies
- 51.1107 Pre-Occupational Therapy Studies
- 51.1108 Pre-Optometry Studies
- 51.1109 Pre-Physical Therapy Studies
- 51.1110 Pre-Art Therapy
- 51.1111 Pre-Physician Assistant
- 51.1199 Health/Medical Preparatory Programs, Other