Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Berkeley College-Woodland Park

The troubling pattern here isn't the starting salary—it's where graduates end up four years later. Berkeley College-Woodland Park's practical nursing program shows graduates earning $46,611 initially, slightly above the national median, but then watching their income drop 29% to just $33,093 by year four. In New Jersey, where the median practical nurse earns $54,390, this program ranks in only the 40th percentile. Compare that to top performers in the state like Holy Name Medical Center or Essex County College, where graduates consistently earn above $62,000.

The debt load of $21,527 compounds this problem. While relatively manageable against first-year earnings (0.46 ratio), that debt becomes harder to justify when your income is declining rather than growing. Something appears fundamentally off about this career trajectory—whether it's graduates leaving nursing, struggling with employment stability, or working reduced hours. With 60% of students receiving Pell grants, these aren't families with financial cushion to weather income volatility.

New Jersey has 26 practical nursing programs, and several deliver consistently stronger outcomes at similar or lower debt levels. Unless there are compelling personal circumstances tying you to this specific location, other programs in the state offer better value and more stable earnings trajectories. The certificate may be affordable upfront, but the income decline raises real questions about long-term viability.