Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Arkansas State University Three Rivers

Based on comparable nursing programs in Arkansas, this certificate lands right at the state median with estimated first-year earnings of $38,276—but that's roughly $6,000 below the national benchmark for practical nursing programs. The estimated $11,218 debt load is manageable at a 0.29 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates would theoretically need about 3.5 months of gross income to cover what they borrowed. However, the earnings gap matters: several Arkansas programs consistently produce stronger outcomes, with Baptist Health College Little Rock and Northwest Technical Institute graduates earning nearly $10,000 more annually.

The practical concern is that Arkansas already pays practical nurses less than most states, and this program appears positioned at the lower end even within Arkansas. While nursing credentials typically offer stable employment, starting at $38,276 means tighter margins for loan repayment and living expenses than families might expect from a healthcare program. The relatively low Pell grant enrollment (14%) suggests this may not be serving many students who need the most cost-effective pathway into nursing.

For families considering this program, the question is whether Three Rivers offers specific advantages—location, scheduling flexibility, clinical partnerships—that justify outcomes in line with the state median rather than the stronger performers. If similar programs are accessible elsewhere in Arkansas, those earning $42,000-$48,000 would provide meaningfully better financial footing in those critical first years after graduation.