Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 51.39. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 1,557 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 | 1,370 | 97,162 | $50,533 | $56,073 | $15,210 724 programs |
| Associate's degree | 168 | 2,752 | $58,618 | $62,755 | $24,163 39 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 11 | 14 | $28,357 | $39,305 | $15,000 5 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1 | 0 | Data unavailable | $55,501 | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 1 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 1 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) | 1 | 5 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 4 | 22 | Data unavailable | $49,468 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shawsheen Valley School of Practical Nursing MA · Public · 27 graduates measured | $79,295 | $76,747 | $7,878 |
| Unitek College CA · Private, for-profit · 250 graduates measured | $78,983 | $82,132 | $16,589 |
| Unitek College CA · Private, for-profit · 250 graduates measured | $78,983 | $82,132 | $16,589 |
| Harmony Health Care Institute NH · Private, for-profit · 65 graduates measured | $78,455 | $82,633 | $12,685 |
| Monty Tech MA · Public · 46 graduates measured | $78,299 | $63,125 | $10,500 |
| Greater Lowell Technical School MA · Public · 58 graduates measured | $75,666 | $67,120 | $11,456 |
| Schoolcraft Community College District MI · Public · 32 graduates measured | $75,162 | $79,585 | $21,839 |
| Universal Training Institute NJ · Private, for-profit · 75 graduates measured | $75,144 | $75,945 | $15,749 |
| Greenfield Community College MA · Public · 23 graduates measured | $72,090 | $70,565 | $9,500 |
| Saint Michael College of Allied Health DC · Private, for-profit · 52 graduates measured | $71,778 | $92,203 | $17,713 |
| Verve College IL · Private, for-profit · 104 graduates measured | $71,363 | $73,903 | $17,152 |
| Standard Healthcare Services-College of Nursing VA · Private, for-profit · 203 graduates measured | $71,151 | $78,053 | $14,750 |
| Eastwick College-Hackensack NJ · Private, for-profit · 45 graduates measured | $70,848 | $69,418 | $24,697 |
| CUNY LaGuardia Community College NY · Public · 30 graduates measured | $70,065 | $85,842 | Data unavailable |
| Muskegon Community College MI · Public · 33 graduates measured | $69,906 | $69,762 | $11,870 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beal University ME · Private, for-profit · 98 graduates measured | $75,752 | Data unavailable | $30,791 |
| Unitek College CA · Private, for-profit · 258 graduates measured | $72,818 | $108,612 | $26,008 |
| High Desert Medical College CA · Private, for-profit · 18 graduates measured | $72,536 | Data unavailable | $29,320 |
| Carrington College-Sacramento CA · Private, for-profit · 97 graduates measured | $70,686 | $112,176 | $35,286 |
| Carrington College-San Jose CA · Private, for-profit · 97 graduates measured | $70,686 | $112,176 | $35,286 |
| Lassen Community College CA · Public · 22 graduates measured | $70,490 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts CA · Private, for-profit · 177 graduates measured | $66,307 | $85,529 | $27,816 |
| Butte College CA · Public · 17 graduates measured | $63,366 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Hennepin Technical College MN · Public · 41 graduates measured | $58,617 | $58,915 | $25,315 |
| South Louisiana Community College LA · Public · 17 graduates measured | $57,909 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia CA · Private, for-profit · 92 graduates measured | $57,680 | $76,313 | $21,107 |
| San Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield CA · Private, for-profit · 92 graduates measured | $57,680 | $76,313 | $21,107 |
| San Joaquin Valley College-Rancho Mirage CA · Private, for-profit · 92 graduates measured | $57,680 | $76,313 | $21,107 |
| San Joaquin Valley College-Santa Maria CA · Private, for-profit · 92 graduates measured | $57,680 | $76,313 | $21,107 |
| ATA College KY · Private, for-profit · 69 graduates measured | $56,533 | $57,073 | $32,350 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Gurabo Campus PR · Private, nonprofit · 90 graduates measured | $33,430 | $42,444 | $44,100 |
| Caribbean University-Bayamon PR · Private, nonprofit · 44 graduates measured | $18,423 | $30,043 | $15,000 |
| Caribbean University-Carolina PR · Private, nonprofit · 44 graduates measured | $18,423 | $30,043 | $15,000 |
| Caribbean University-Ponce PR · Private, nonprofit · 44 graduates measured | $18,423 | $30,043 | $15,000 |
| Caribbean University-Vega Baja PR · Private, nonprofit · 44 graduates measured | $18,423 | $30,043 | $15,000 |
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 Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses | $64,400 | +3.0% | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Nursing assistants | $42,260 | +2.6% | Postsecondary nondegree award |
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 (3)
- 51.3901 Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training
- 51.3902 Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant/Aide
- 51.3999 Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants, Other