WhatGradsMake
Certificate (under 1 year)+59% vs national median238 grads tracked

Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Lone Star College System

Ranked 10th of 147 certificate (under 1 year) programs in Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants by 5-year earnings.

Median · 1 year out
$46,032
middle 50%: $36,004 – $54,965
Median · 5 years out
$61,098
middle 50%: $43,599 – $83,458
Median · 10 years out
$68,702
middle 50%: $49,779 – $95,030

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 recipients earn a median of $46k in their first year. Ten-year median salaries reach $69k, outperforming national medians by 59%.

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
6.8 yrs
≈ $7,591 total interest

Same major at other universities

Kankakee Community College
$67,307 · 5 yrs out
Umpqua Community College
$66,338 · 5 yrs out
San Jacinto Community College District
$65,547 · 5 yrs out
Navarro College
$62,723 · 5 yrs out
Houston Community College
$62,476 · 5 yrs out
Blinn College
$61,955 · 5 yrs out
Temple College
$60,527 · 5 yrs out
Bunker Hill Community College
$59,848 · 5 yrs out
Weatherford College
$59,360 · 5 yrs out
Lee College
$58,787 · 5 yrs out
Dallas College
$58,363 · 5 yrs out
North Central Texas College
$58,246 · 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
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Certificate)
$77,306 · 5 yrs out
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) (Associate)
$76,015 · 5 yrs out
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services (Certificate)
$75,144 · 5 yrs out

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