Certificate (under 1 year)+47% vs national median1,370 grads tracked
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Coastal Bend College
Ranked 20th of 147 certificate (under 1 year) programs in Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$47,772
middle 50%: $37,654 – $57,138
Median · 5 years out
$56,635
middle 50%: $43,431 – $72,722
Median · 10 years out
$63,105
middle 50%: $47,944 – $82,464
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants (certificate (under 1 year)) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Practical Nursing certificate holders earn a median of $48k in their first year. Salary reaches $63k by year 10.
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
7 yrs
≈ $7,747 total interest
Same major at other universities
Lee College
$58,787 · 5 yrs out
Dallas College
$58,363 · 5 yrs out
North Central Texas College
$58,246 · 5 yrs out
Cisco College
$56,915 · 5 yrs out
Inver Hills Community College
$56,877 · 5 yrs out
Hill College
$56,848 · 5 yrs out
Northeast Texas Community College
$56,354 · 5 yrs out
Odessa College
$56,092 · 5 yrs out
Tyler Junior College
$55,674 · 5 yrs out
Wharton County Junior College
$55,665 · 5 yrs out
Lake Superior College
$55,464 · 5 yrs out
Howard County Junior College District
$55,322 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Coastal Bend College
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate)
$83,940 · 5 yrs out
Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$73,958 · 5 yrs out
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions (Associate)
$67,654 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Associate)
$66,701 · 5 yrs out
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Associate)
$64,666 · 5 yrs out
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$56,877 · 5 yrs out
Precision Production (Certificate)
$56,877 · 5 yrs out
Precision Metal Working (Certificate)
$56,877 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Certificate)
$55,953 · 5 yrs out
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Associate)
$51,223 · 5 yrs out
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$50,579 · 5 yrs out
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services (Associate)
$50,381 · 5 yrs out
Related fields of study
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
Compare universities
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
Compare universities
Alternative and Complementary Medical Support Services
Compare universities
Alternative and Complementary Medicine and Medical Systems
Compare universities
Chiropractic
Compare universities
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
Compare universities