WhatGradsMake
Certificate (1-2 years)+15% vs national median378 grads tracked

Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Galveston College

Ranked 59th of 256 certificate (1-2 years) programs in Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants by 5-year earnings.

Median · 1 year out
$53,604
middle 50%: $41,050 – $67,185
Median · 5 years out
$65,534
middle 50%: $48,487 – $86,648
Median · 10 years out
$81,671
middle 50%: $61,863 – $103,760

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

Nursing certificate holders see a median starting salary of $54k. Five-year earnings rise to $66k, reaching $82k 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 yrs
≈ $6,630 total interest

Same major at other universities

Other majors at Galveston College

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