Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Albany Technical College

Albany Technical's practical nursing program comes with an unusual tradeoff: remarkably low debt but middling earnings. At $25,276, graduates here carry about half the debt burden of the typical Georgian nursing graduate ($12,910 statewide median)—though this is still relatively low by national standards, landing in just the 5th percentile for program debt. The first-year salary of $42,057 sits squarely at Georgia's median for practical nursing programs, meaning graduates earn what they'd expect elsewhere in the state but take on twice the typical debt to get there.

That debt differential matters when comparing options. Top performers in Georgia—Augusta Tech, Georgia Piedmont, and North Georgia Tech—deliver $5,000 to $9,000 more in first-year earnings while typically maintaining lower debt loads. With 62% of Albany Tech students receiving Pell grants, that extra debt could strain budgets for families already managing tight finances. The 0.60 debt-to-earnings ratio is manageable but not compelling given in-state alternatives.

The small sample size here (under 30 graduates) adds uncertainty—these numbers could shift significantly year to year. For families in southwest Georgia where Albany Tech offers geographic convenience, the program provides viable entry to nursing careers. But families who can consider programs elsewhere in Georgia will likely find stronger combinations of earnings potential and affordability at several other technical colleges.