Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Blake Austin College

Blake Austin College's nursing assistant program sits in an awkward middle ground—decent nationally, but underwhelming for California. While first-year earnings of $48,106 beat the national median by nearly $4,000 and debt remains manageable at $17,900, this program falls to just the 40th percentile among California nursing programs. Given that students can attend programs like Hartnell College or North-West College in the same state and earn $10,000-15,000 more annually, the value proposition here is questionable for in-state students.

The financial structure itself is solid: a 0.37 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates can reasonably manage their loans, and 10% earnings growth over four years suggests stable career progression. For a program serving 35% Pell-eligible students, these aren't bad outcomes—they're just middling by California's higher standards for nursing education.

If your child has already been admitted here and location matters, this program will likely lead to gainful employment without crushing debt. But if you're still shopping around, look at comparable California programs first. The $5,000 gap between what graduates here earn versus the state median compounds to meaningful money over a career. In a state with 122 nursing programs to choose from, settling for 40th percentile performance requires a compelling reason—whether that's location, schedule flexibility, or acceptance odds.