Certificate (1-2 years)+23% vs national median342 grads tracked
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Otero College
Ranked 33rd of 256 certificate (1-2 years) programs in Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$40,460
middle 50%: $30,693 – $51,946
Median · 5 years out
$70,441
middle 50%: $50,659 – $84,576
Median · 10 years out
$76,015
middle 50%: $56,877 – $95,021
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants (certificate (1-2 years)) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Otero College nursing certificate holders see a first-year median salary of $40k. Median earnings reach $76k after ten years.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.
Will the degree pay for itself?
Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.
Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).
Paid off in
6.4 yrs
≈ $7,528 total interest
Same major at other universities
College Of DuPage
$71,060 · 5 yrs out
CUNY LaGuardia Community College
$70,709 · 5 yrs out
Northern Wyoming Community College District
$70,550 · 5 yrs out
Community College of Denver
$70,547 · 5 yrs out
City Colleges of Chicago - Wilbur Wright College
$70,545 · 5 yrs out
City Colleges of Chicago - Kennedy-King College
$70,468 · 5 yrs out
Quinsigamond Community College
$70,227 · 5 yrs out
Lone Star College System
$70,093 · 5 yrs out
Hostos Community College of the City University of New York
$69,751 · 5 yrs out
North Shore Community College
$69,727 · 5 yrs out
Berkshire Community College
$69,644 · 5 yrs out
Fond du Lac Tribal & Community College
$69,553 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Otero College
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate)
$76,545 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Associate)
$76,015 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Certificate)
$69,310 · 5 yrs out
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Certificate)
$49,960 · 5 yrs out
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations (Certificate)
$49,399 · 5 yrs out
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services (Certificate)
$49,197 · 5 yrs out
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Certificate)
$49,197 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Certificate)
$46,845 · 5 yrs out
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields (Certificate)
$45,324 · 5 yrs out
Agricultural Business and Management (Certificate)
$44,669 · 5 yrs out
Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$42,092 · 5 yrs out
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$42,092 · 5 yrs out
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