Certificate (1-2 years)+23% vs national median1,266 grads tracked
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Lone Star College System
Ranked 35th of 256 certificate (1-2 years) programs in Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$47,119
middle 50%: $36,244 – $57,299
Median · 5 years out
$70,093
middle 50%: $52,148 – $87,989
Median · 10 years out
$85,794
middle 50%: $60,384 – $107,476
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
Lone Star College System's Practical Nursing certificate leads to a $47k median starting salary. By year five, the median salary reaches $70k.
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
6.1 yrs
≈ $6,950 total interest
Same major at other universities
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
Otero College
$70,441 · 5 yrs out
Quinsigamond Community College
$70,227 · 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
El Paso Community College
$69,348 · 5 yrs out
Western Wyoming Community College
$69,330 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Lone Star College System
Fire Protection (Associate)
$108,135 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Certificate)
$90,782 · 5 yrs out
Accounting and Related Services (Certificate)
$90,782 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate)
$88,842 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Certificate)
$87,304 · 5 yrs out
Precision Production (Associate)
$83,557 · 5 yrs out
Precision Metal Working (Associate)
$83,557 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Certificate)
$82,784 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Associate)
$81,191 · 5 yrs out
Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$79,787 · 5 yrs out
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Certificate)
$77,306 · 5 yrs out
Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$76,015 · 5 yrs out
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