Program Analysis
Starting salaries of $10,084/yr fall 26% below the $13,597 national median for Practical Nursing. The financial case depends heavily on whether tuition compensates.
With a 18.6x return on in-state tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.
The 1% spread between best and worst-case AI scenarios signals strong resilience. Most career paths mapped to Practical Nursing involve work that current AI cannot replicate.
At a 1.5x debt-to-first-year-earnings ratio, loan repayment extends well beyond graduation. Financial aid and income-driven plans become important considerations.
Practical Nursing is offered at just 6 schools in our analysis. Caribbean University-Carolina's #3 ranking should be read in that context.
The $10,084-to-$29,029 earnings arc over five years reflects a 188% gain — well above average career growth for recent graduates.